Save Me
by McSquidster
Summary: During a time of great sorrow for the Heartfilia family, a religious cult takes interest in their daughter. Their kindhearted approaches quickly turn malicious, and with no one else to turn to, Lucy is forced to rely on a group of four boys she'd met by chance on a rainy night three years ago, each of the boys carrying their own baggage as they come to her rescue. Eventual Nalu
1. Chapter 1: A Fateful Encounter

**WARNINGS: Yo! I'll explain more about this story in the AN at the bottom, but there are some things I want you to be mindful of before you make the decision to continue on reading. This fanfic is a Fairy Tail adaptation of the drama Save Me, which is about a religious cult, and if that bit of information alone doesn't give enough of an idea about some of the dark shiz that'll be happening, then let me give you some specifics:**

 **-This fic includes dark themes, in addition to strong language, blood, violence, mentions of mental illnesses/disabilities, suicide, drug use (mostly just smoking), underage drinking, and some sexual themes (nothing explicit, so I don't think that we'll surpass a T rating, but if we do, I'll be sure to change the rating to m).**

 **-Obviously, this fic deals heavily with religion, and since that can be a sensitive topic for some, I want to make you aware that the religion in this fic is completely fictional and wasn't inspired by any real religion. Some baseline religious beliefs that are common throughout many religions will be present, but the overall religion and its practices are entirely fiction. The presence of crosses will be explained later, and this religion isn't supposed to be a subdivision of Christianity. With that said, it wasn't my intention to offend anyone or anything else like that.**

 **-There will be a few major character deaths as the story progresses. I won't be killing people left and right like I was in my fic Scarlet Heart, but there will still be some death (mostly at the beginning actually).**

 **-This fic also deals with some rather controversial themes, like corruption in politics and just in regular society in general, as well as the display of how weak human nature is to succumb to blind faith because people chose to seek the easiest path possible when faced with adversity. If you can't handle those ideas, then read no further.**

 **You've been warned, so if all of that isn't your cup of tea, don't feel like you have to keep reading.**

 **Also, some other, less detrimental forewords:**

 **-Before I have people screaming at me in the reviews, I'm fully aware that there is and will continue to be some major OOCness, particularly on Sting's part. Why he is the way he is in this fic will all be explained later and it has a purpose, I promise. All of the personality changes in other characters that I'm making will all serve a purpose, too. I'm adapting this story with the characters of FT, so there's only so much I can do to make them more 'in character' without changing any major events. I've done the best I can, but OOCness is definitely still a factor.**

 **-I'm also going to be messing with people's relations and making them siblings again, just a heads up. In addition to that, prepare yourselves for some** _ **really**_ **shitty parents, but also for some kickass parents, too.**

 **-Nalu is endgame, but this chapter is kind of all over the place in terms of hinting at ships, so just know that we'll get there eventually…after lots of other shiz happens.**

 **With all of that in mind, here's the first chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

 **A Fateful Encounter**

"You mustn't be afraid! The Almighty will always be with you!"

The preacher's words echoed throughout the small chapel as an old man was wheeled down the aisle on a hospital bed, his shirt missing and his ailing form left exposed for the congregation to see. The old man lingered somewhere between sleep and consciousness, his eyes squinting as he tried to pick out the fuzzy figures around him in the dark chapel, the space illuminated only by candlelight.

"Spiritual father!"

"Spiritual father!" the kneeling congregation echoed the cry of the dark haired woman on the stand as she praised the preacher's sermon, their hands clasped in front in their chests in a prayer-like pose.

"You mustn't doubt your faith! The Almighty will be your savior!" The preacher brought his hand down on the pulpit with every syllable of his speech, his pure white suit seeming to the glow in the dimly lit room.

"Our wishes will be fulfilled!" the dark haired woman beside the preacher cried.

The congregation followed suit from the floor in front of the stand, their hands reaching towards the heavens as they chanted in unison, "We believe it!"

The graying blonde man at the front of the room lifted his free hand to the sky, his other clutching around the mic as he resumed his empowered preaching, "Those who love the Almighty will be set free from disease and pain!"

"We believe it!"

The ailing man's bed was brought to a halt as he reached the front of the crowd, the preacher stepping down from the pulpit to stand at his side. He slowly rested his hand on the old man's shoulder, and the room went silent as he raised his mic to his lips once more, "Everyone. As all of you know, Mr. Yajima here…is in the last stages of stomach cancer."

Several sorrowful cries whispered through the room, numerous heads falling forward in despair.

"Even doctors at the top hospital in Crocus turned him away," the preacher solemnly continued, "They sent him back home, saying he has no chance of surviving." He circled around the old man's bed, "To a petrified patient who is faced with death…they turned him away without even trying to save him."

The room was filled with more quiet cries of anguish, hands clutched together and shaking in prayer.

The preacher ghosted the tips of his fingers along the old man's stomach, "However…Our Almighty is different. He will never turn away those who come seeking his help." As he lifted his hand above his head, his voice grew louder, "He will never turn his back and send those pour souls into the dark valley of death!"

"We believe it!"

"Our wishes be fulfilled!"

The white suited preacher extended his arm out in front of him, his fingers spreading apart from each other before he slammed his hand back down on the old man's stomach. He kept his palm pressed forcefully against Yajima's clammy skin, his deep voice quivering, not with weakness but with underlying power, "In the name of our savoir, the Almighty, I will draw out the evil disease festering within you, bringing you unimaginable pain." The preacher withdrew his hand only to slam it back down in the same place twice more, each strike growing stronger than the last, "With the burning fire of salvation," his hand came down again, his voice reaching a new level in volume, "this unclean and hideous piece of cancer that was born of the evil spirit will be cured by the Almighty and your body will become free again like fresh snow!"

When his hand slammed down once more, blood spurted from between his fingers.

"Spiritual Father!" the congregation had their eyes squeezed shut in prayer, wordless mumblings slipping from their lips.

Their mutterings fluttered between the walls of the chapel as the preacher passed his mic to his dark haired disciple, his gaze never straying from where his palm was pressed against the old man's stomach. His now free right hand became slick with blood as he slid it in between his left palm and Yajima's skin, and he pushed downwards, the fingers of his right hand digging for his goal.

All sound in the chapel ceased for a brief moment as the preacher's hands suddenly fisted and stilled. The blood on his fingers smeared across the old man's stomach as he pulled his hands back, but once his fists were out of the way, gasps filled the room as Yajima's skin was revealed to their gazes, looking just as it had before their Father had begun his extraction, with no indication as to what wound the blood had flown from.

His lack of any bodily harm only strengthened their belief in the man in the white suit, "Spiritual Father!"

In response to his believers' cries, the preacher raised his left fist into the air, his potent voice echoing throughout the dim chapel, "This piece of cancer belongs to the evil spirit."

"Our wishes be fulfilled!"

"Let us attribute this glory to our Almighty," the preacher extended his left arm in front of him and unfurled his fingers so all of his followers could pay witness to the bloodied, cancerous tumor resting in his palm.

At the sight, none in the congregation were still, some falling forward onto their hands in worship while others continued to cry and exclaim their faith to the heavens. Their bodies contorted as far as their joints and muscles would allow, their forms trembling and convulsing into twisted poses as they gave their entire bodies over to the influence of their beliefs.

* * *

' _Welcome to the energetic city of Magnolia!'_

Lucy tiredly stretched her hand through the car window to catch a few trickling rain drops, her sleeve ruffling in the wind as the van drove down the winding forest road.

So far, Magnolia wasn't living up to the reputation set by its welcome signs. The secluded, country town seemed more dark and dreary than anything else, its surrounding forest and the settling fog draping the valley in darkness.

The blonde tucked her hand back in the window when the rainfall began to grow heavier, turning from a light shower to a full on downpour in the matter of only a few moments. The silence in the car was broken by the pattering of the rain, her father flicking on the windshield wipers and further adding to the noise.

She rested her head against the now rolled up window, letting out a light sigh as she tiredly watched her breath puff against the cold glass. The chilly surface stole the heat from her skin, but she didn't pull back. She'd long since grown numb to the feeling of being drained of all things that provided comfort, and losing her warmth was just another, insignificant loss among the countless sacrifices she and her family had made as of late.

Magnolia was supposed to provide them with a new life, a new beginning to help them recover and leave behind all of the misfortune that had befallen them in Crocus. But as she looked out the window, the fog growing ever thicker and the road before them winding down into the darkness beyond the car's poor headlights, Lucy couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't free of their tribulations just yet, and instead they were traveling towards something much darker, something that would bring them more misfortune than they could have ever imagined.

Lucy let out a tiny scream when her seatbelt pulled painfully tight against her chest as the car suddenly jerked, her shoulder roughly jostling against her brother's. Her father slammed on the breaks in a panic, grappling with the steering wheel and bringing the car to a rough stop on the side of the road.

The sudden, jerky stop seemed to finally spur the Heartfilia family out of their state of solemn silence, words passing between them for the first time since they'd left their home in Crocus.

Jude was the first to speak, the blond man quickly performing a quick survey of his wife before turning over his shoulder towards his children in the back seat, "Everyone okay?"

Lucy and Layla both gave him small hums of affirmation in response, but his son remained silent, just like he always did as of late.

The blonde girl looked to her twin as their parents vacated the car to see what had happened, her gentle fingers coming to lightly rest on his knee, "Sting…you okay?"

He seemed to come out of some sort of daze when he felt the soft weight of her hand on his leg, his eyes quickly glancing at her from beneath his platinum blonde bangs as he quietly, shakily reassured, "Y-yeah."

Lucy withdrew her hand from his knee without another word, pressing her lips into a grim line and averting her gaze to the pouring rain pattering against the window to her left. She'd grown to hate his voice over the past few months, how he always sounded like he was on the verge of bursting into tears. But at the same time, she felt relief whenever he mustered up the courage to mumble even a single word, knowing that his stuttering was better than his silence.

She'd feared she would lose him completely after what had happened to and because of him four months ago, her mind continuously caught up in the what-ifs; haunted by the idea that maybe if she had gone with him that night like he'd asked of her and been the voice of reason, Sting would still be the same obnoxious, but genuinely good natured older twin brother she'd always known.

But the past was the past. It was fixed and immutable, and so she'd decided it was her turn to be the strong sibling for once while he recovered from his trauma. She'd vowed to be there for him always, whether she got the old him back or not, and she wasn't one to go back on her promises.

* * *

The door on the driver's side of the old, rented van creaked raucously as Jude stepped out into the downpour to observe the damage, his jacket quickly becoming heavy with the weight of the rain.

Layla rushed out of her side of the car with an umbrella, shielding herself and her husband as he crouched down next to the left, front tire, "Honey, what happened?"

He let out a heavy, distressed sigh as he straightened himself to his full height next to her, "The tire blew out." His hands dove into his pockets, rummaging for his phone.

The road was suddenly flooded with the brightness of two headlights that were much more luminous than the rickety van's, a pair of motorcycles turning the bend behind them and quickly speeding past.

The couple didn't pay them much mind until they were a good distance down the road in front of them, the bright headlights nearly blinding them as the bikes u-turned back towards their broken down car.

Jude stiffened and pushed his wife behind him as the motorcycles came to a stop only a short distance away, stepping beyond the cover of her umbrella and back out into the downpour.

"Jude?" Layla quietly questioned.

"Get back in the car," he commanded over his shoulder.

His wife's frame froze as she caught sight of four hooded figures dismounting from the two bikes, the edges of their silhouettes illuminated by the headlights of their rides as they approached the van.

Jude looked the advancing group over, the way their hoods concealed their faces from view setting him on edge, "Get inside the car and stay with the kids."

"Honey," Layla weakly protested as her husband stepped forward, his frame moving to protectively stand in front of the van as the four came to a stop a short distance away, their faces still hidden in the shadow of their hoods.

He stilled himself to counter whatever it was the sketchy looking group before him was planning on pulling. He used to be a man who believed there was good in everyone, but his family had faced too much misfortune at the hands of others for him to withhold that belief into the present. He wouldn't let any more harm befall his wife and children if he could prevent it, so he squared his shoulders and widened his stance to show his determination to protect the three who rested behind him.

Jude was slightly taken aback as one of the approaching group lifted their head from where it had been cast downwards to block the rain with their hood, and he was greeted by a bright smile, a tuft of vibrant salmon hair slipping free of the hood, "Wow…Looks like you're tire's completely blown out."

Another one of the four took a small step forward, a bespectacled, pale face framed with orange hair coming into view, "You okay, sir?"

* * *

Lucy warily eyed the four hooded figures from her seat in the back of the van, her gaze quickly sliding towards her twin and making eye contact with him for a brief moment before returning her focus to the scene in front of their car.

When she was young, she'd been taught not to trust strangers just like every other kid had, and everything her family had endured had only served to make her even warier of the rest of the world.

The salmon haired boy's grin made him seem friendly enough, but the fogged spectacles on the orange haired boy's face next to him left much of his expression hidden from her sight. The boy on the far left of the group looked intimidating enough without even having to lift his head, and she was certain the impossibly massive tanned forearms that slipped beyond the length of his rain poncho were nearly as thick as her neck, possibly even thicker. And when he did finally raise his head, she caught sight of the thin scar that ran in a line underneath his right eye, making him all the more imposing. The fourth boy on the right side of the salmon haired one hadn't lifted his head yet, or at least she assumed it was a male from what she could see of their build, namely his broad shoulders.

She couldn't hear a word of what was passing between them and her father, and not knowing whether they came offering their aid or a threat was getting on her nerves. As soon as their mouths started moving, she cranked her window down and leaned out as far as she could without unbuckling her seatbelt, uncaring as the rain slicked her bangs to her forehead, "Mom, is everything okay?"

Everyone's gazes snapped to her, including the fourth boy whose face she had yet to see. Her eyes slowly slid from her mother to him when she realized his face was finally free of the shadow cast by his hood and instead illuminated by the headlights of the van. He was just as pale as his orange haired acquaintance, and what she could see of his raven hair was just as wild.

At first glance, there wasn't anything that set him apart from what she'd seen of the rest. But then she made eye contact, his navy blue irises catching her gaze and holding it hostage for a brief moment. His tired eyes held a depth that she'd rarely seen in others, and she knew right then that he'd caught a glimpse of hell, too, just like she and her family had.

The writer within her suddenly sparked back to life after months of being shoved down, and she yearned to know what his story was; what trials he'd been through to make his eyes appear like they had seen a lifetime of suffering when he was probably around the same age as her.

And as the raven haired boy stared back at her, he seemed almost just as intrigued with her as she was with him. His head was slightly tilted to one side, his brows furrowed only a fraction as his eyes searched hers.

She wondered if he saw the same thing in her that she saw in him, though she wasn't exactly sure how to put it into words, even though she had authored countless stories through the years. A kindred spirit, maybe? But that made the whole situation sound too profound for her liking, much too similar to a _fated encounter,_ something she believed to only exist in her stories.

The blonde barely heard her mother's quiet reply of, "Of course, dear. They're just here to help us."

Her eyes were finally pulled away from the raven haired boy's when the salmon haired one next to him raised his hand in greeting, directing his bright grin towards her, "Yo!"

She could see his eyes more clearly now, too, the onyx of his irises shining surprisingly bright in the dark, rainy night. Although his eyes were unique in color, for she'd never seen a pair of irises so dark, the endearing sense of mischief and genuine benevolence blazing in his gaze reminded her of what her brother's eyes used to look like before he'd fallen apart and become only a shell of his former self.

And just like that, the spark of her old self, the one who wound her experiences into stories, was extinguished. Eyes told stories about people's pasts, and her own past wasn't one she needed to be reminded of. Not right now. Not when her family was suffering.

Before the salmon haired boy's eyes, which were painfully reminiscent of her brother's own, could pull her back into bittersweet memories of better days, she tore her focus away.

She was supposed to focus only on the future, like her parents had told her. Moving on from all that had happened was the only way for things to get better.

"Sweetie, go back inside. You're getting all wet."

Lucy thoughtlessly obeyed her mother's commands, tucking her upper body back into the car and cranking the window up, but not all the way so she could hear the rest of the conversation. As soon as she was settled back in her seat again and her gaze naturally moved forward, she caught the raven haired boy's eyes once more. He was still staring at her, his expression bored but his eyes alight with something akin to curiosity.

Her father had resumed his conversation with the two boys in the middle of the group, his formerly firm expression and stance softening up a fraction once he realized the party of teens was here to help, "Do any of you know if there's a mechanic's shop nearby?"

The one with the glasses jumped slightly, and that's when Lucy realized he, just like his salmon and raven haired friends, had been staring at her since she'd made her presence known earlier. Her father's words seemed to finally snap him out of whatever scenario he'd been playing in his head as he gazed at her, an amiable grin gracing his features as he turned back to her father, "Ah, yes. I was just about to make a call."

As he began rummaging underneath his poncho for his phone, Layla ran forward to shield her husband from the downpour with her umbrella, giving the boys before her a gentle smile, "My goodness, I'm so sorry for making you go through all of this in the rain."

The blonde girl in the van strained to hear the rest of the conversation over the patter of the rain as the boy with the salmon hair brushed off her mother's concern, his bright grin never once fading, "Nah, it's okay. Most places around here close around eight. It'd be a pain to find one on your own without knowing which ones were still open. Plus, Elfman's family runs a mechanic shop," he gestured to large, tan boy at the right of the group, who looked incredibly proud about that fact.

Lucy had to admit, the salmon haired boy's ability to grin for as long as he had been, and with such genuine happiness and kindness no less, made her slightly jealous. It'd been a long time since she'd last been able to smile like that. Months, actually. Their burdens had been too heavy for her to lift the corners of her lips to their full extent.

"Someone will be here for you in about thirty minutes," the orange haired boy shoved his phone back under his poncho, a cheeky, proud expression on his face.

Lucy could hear her father's light smile in his voice as he ducked his head in a small bow, "Thank you."

Layla mimicked her husband's gesture, "How can we repay you?"

A smug grin tugged at the orange haired boy's lips, and Lucy clutched her fingers tightly around the edge of her seat as his focus slyly dashed to her before returning to her parents, "Well, you could introduce-"

"Hey," the salmon haired boy sharply jabbed his bespectacled friend in the ribs before he could finish his request, earning him a sour pout from the other boy as he clutched at his side. Lucy huffed out a light, barely audible, amused breath as the salmon haired boy brushed off his friend's obviously fake hiss of pain, his bright grin unceasing as he turned back to her parents, "You don't need to repay us. Someone will be here soon, so don't worry about it." He raised his hand in a carefree wave, "Take care."

Her parents offered one final sentiment of gratitude before the salmon haired boy turned his back on them, heading towards their motorcycles with the raven haired boy and the one he'd called 'Elfman' following in his stead. It was then that Lucy realized he must be the leader of their little pack, and she decided that the boy of mischief and bright grins fit the role perfectly.

He turned back over his shoulder as he reached his bike, annoyance flashing across his features as he called out to their lingering friend, "Loke! You coming?"

Just like before, the orange haired boy jumped as he snapped out of the trance he'd slipped into while staring at her. He gave her one last smug grin before he scurried after his friends, nearly face-planting when he came close to sliding off of the seat as he climbed onto the back of one of the motorcycles, behind the raven haired boy.

Now she was sure. Given the way the orange haired playboy had immediately responded, the salmon haired boy was definitely the leader. It was no surprise to her when he sat himself at the front of the other motorcycle, though it was quite a sight to behold as she watched the large tanned boy squeeze onto the rest of the seat behind him.

Her eyes turned to the raven haired boy, a new curiosity taking over her mind as she watched him slide a helmet onto his head over the hood of his rain poncho.

If the salmon haired boy was the leader, she wondered how her 'kindred spirit' fit into their little pack. He obviously stood apart from the rest, the atmosphere surrounding him a lot less vibrant and more subtle than the overpowering and outgoing auras of his friends. He seemed a lot more reserved, his bored expression letting her know he wanted to leave more than anything else during their short encounter.

If she had met him before the incident with Sting a few months ago, the story of how he'd become friends with a group of people who seemed so vastly different from him would've been one that she would've liked to hear in order to gather some inspiration for one of her stories.

Now though, she found herself yearning to hear that story for a different reason. She wanted to know how he did it. How he carried on after all that he'd been through and how he could handle being around those that didn't know the pain of having their world crash down around them.

She sucked in a light breath when he suddenly looked over his shoulder, as if sensing her lingering gaze. His eyes immediately found her through the haze of rain, and he did one last search of her face before he revved his motorcycle, his jaw clenching and gaze finally peeling from her face as he sped down the winding mountain road and out of sight, the salmon haired boy following close behind.

Lucy resigned to herself that his story was one she'd never get to hear.

A sharp exhale of breath to her right prevented her thoughts from lingering on the boy whom had caught her interest, and she turned to Sting when he finally seemed to start breathing again. As she looked over his pale, now sweaty face, she wondered if he'd been holding his breath the entire time the group of boys had been standing before them. Her brows furrowed in doubt at his earlier claim, "Sting, are you sure you're really okay?"

He swallowed heavily and quickly ran the tip of his tongue over his dry lips, his head bobbing in a quick nod as he hurriedly breathed out, "Yes. You…you don't need to worry."

Lucy slowly reached into his lap to retrieve his left hand and gently brought it to rest between both of her own, a soft smile on her face as she reassured her twin, "Nothing bad will happened to us here. I promise."

* * *

Gray huffed out a bored breath as he picked away at the old wood of their usual table of the Fairy Tail bar, his eyes lazily wandering from one of his friends to the next.

Loke was slouched in the corner of their booth, probably regretting his decision of who to sit next to since he was completely scrunched while his body battled against Elfman's for space on the small bench. His flushed cheeks gave him away, the orange haired playboy obviously already succumbing to the effects of the alcohol he'd consumed and worrying his bottom lip between his teeth as if deep in thought.

Elfman, on the other hand, was thoroughly invested in his meal, paying no mind to the shenanigans of his friends and the bar's other patrons. He didn't even seem to notice the suffering of the orange haired boy next to him as he dug in without restraint.

The raven haired boy's gaze indolently slid over to the last member of their group, his lips quirking in annoyance at what was taking place to his left. The salmon haired idiot seated next to him was busy plucking peanuts from the container in the center of their table and throwing them into air before catching them in his mouth, giving out tiny whoops of victory every time he succeeded, which was _every damn time._ God, Natsu was annoying.

Loke suddenly startled out of his dreamlike state, shooting forward to lean over the table, "Hey…don't you guys think that blonde we saw earlier was really pretty?" His cheeks grew even more flushed, "I'm pretty sure her hair was made of gold."

Natsu abandoned his game at the mention of the girl, a proud smile gracing his features and excitement alight in his eyes, "Didn't you see that stare she gave me?"

The raven haired boy tsked, a coy grin tugging at the right corner of his lips, "Why would she want to look at your ugly mug? She was obviously staring at _me_."

A tanned fist promptly swung at him from his left, but he was prepared for it, ducking in his seat and diving under the arm to fist his hands in the salmon haired boy's collar. They screamed in each other's faces for a bit, but no one in the bar moved to break them apart, having grown used to their shenanigans a _long_ time ago.

"In your dreams, punks," Loke vainly chuckled to himself and pointed to his own face, his tone making the encounter seem much more dramatic than Gray remembered it being, "She was practically shooting lasers at my face. When I noticed, I gave her _the look_ ," he wiggled his eyebrows to accent his tale. "Our eyes locked. She was definitely interested."

Natsu and Gray were in sync as they reached forward to grab a handful of fries from the basket in the center of their table, pelting the salty strips at their orange haired friend with disapproving hollers and boos.

The raven haired boy vaguely noted that maybe Elfman was paying attention to them after all, his bulky frame leaning slightly to the left to escape the line of fire.

"Come on, guys," Loke protested from behind the shield he'd created with his hands, "I'm tellin' ya, it was electrifying. Sent a jolt straight down to my-"

Another fry smacked him in the face, accompanied by Natsu's disgusted groan of, "Fucking pervert."

Gray rolled his eyes at his orange haired friend's lewd thoughts, his gaze sliding away from his friends and a familiar black haired man with a gentle smile staring back at him catching his gaze. He quirked a brow at the poster on the nearby bulletin board. He hadn't realized it was election time again already. He'd been too caught up in other things, namely school and his shitty family situation.

His eyes didn't leave the propaganda poster as he questioned his salmon haired friend, "You think your brother will win again?"

Loke followed his gaze, a barely distinguishable twinge of disgust in his voice as he spat out, "Of course he'll win. No one else is qualified."

The smug, proud grin on Natsu's lips only widened in response to Loke's comment, and for a brief moment, Gray wondered what it'd be like to feel proud of his family instead of being ashamed of them. He guessed the salmon haired boy hadn't detected the distaste in their friend's tone as he talked about Zeref, and he figured that was probably a good thing.

There was a light slam as Loke let his head fall backwards onto the high back of his and Elfman's bench, his eyes squeezed shut as he hollered for a certain brunette, "Cana! Where's our drinks?"

Gray startled as the waitress seemingly appeared out of nowhere and slammed four beer glasses onto the table, her hands snapping to her hips and her eyes twitching in annoyance. He often wondered how she kept her job when she was always in such a resentful mood while at work, though he knew her demeanor was probably because she'd much rather be chugging the alcohol instead of serving it.

Loke's brows furrowed when he noticed how dark the drinks were, the fizzy, chocolate brown liquid clearly not the beer they'd ordered, "What are these? Why are they so dark?"

Her gaze jerked to him, her teeth clenched in irritation, "Do you shits want to end up at the police station again? I'm not dealing with your drunk asses anymore after what happened last time, so drink your cola like good little school boys and then get out of my bar."

The orange haired playboy chuckled to himself, pouring all of his characteristic charm into his voice as he waved his hand flippantly in the air in front of him, "Cana, Cana, listen. I was in a bad condition last time, so I made a small mistake-"

"'Bad condition?' 'Small mistake?'" an incredulous laugh burst from her lips, "Bullshit. Good luck finding somewhere else that'll serve your underage asses if you don't want these." She accented her threat to kick them out with a sharp turn on her heel, her long brown hair nearly swishing Gray in the face as she left.

And Loke nearly clambered out of the booth after her, ready to fight the brunette for his beer. But Elfman's strength held him back, the tanned man's fist closing around the collar of Loke's shirt and tugging him back into his seat without even raising his head from his meal while Natsu simultaneously ground out, "Forget it, dumbass."

The salmon haired boy moved to slide the drinks across the table and distribute them in front of his friends, Loke with an extra sour pout on his lips as his glass was placed in front of him.

"We've only got one more year, Loke," Gray halfheartedly comforted, thinking of their upcoming high school graduation at the end of spring, which was only six months away, "Then you'll finally be of age, and you can drink yourself silly." He wrapped his hand around his mug of cola, raising it in front of him, "For now, let's just drink this and pretend it's stout."

The playboy reluctantly grabbed his own glass, "Whatever."

Gray, Natsu, and Loke all moved to clink their glasses together, just like they would've if they were drinking booze. But a lack of the fourth hand that completed their group halted their advance, and all thoughts of merrymaking were slowly snuffed out as they turned to find Elfman already chugging his entire drink, the glass emptying in only a few gulps.

They all quietly placed their drinks back on the table, awkwardly coughing to themselves as numerous eyes turned to them upon the loud belch that rushed from Elfman's mouth.

* * *

Juvia warily eyed the blond man from where she was seated on the couch in her best friend's office, her nerves on edge as his eyes followed every movement her hands made. He was soaked to the bone, swallowing hungrily as he watched her remove a large pizza box from its fabric carrier. She'd seen his family on her way in, his wife and two children truly a sight to behold as they sat in the waiting room of her friend's mechanic shop, their posture absolutely impeccable and unflinching. They were obviously not from Magnolia, their clothing and mannerisms giving them away.

The blunette let out a small sigh of relief when Lisanna finally entered the room, grateful that she didn't have to be alone with the watchful blond man anymore.

Her white haired best friend was wiping the grease off of her hands with an old rag, her characteristic bright smile on her face as she politely informed her customer, "Your tire's all fixed, sir."

He gave her a small head nod in thanks, obviously not in the mood for a conversation as he took a step towards the door.

"Excuse me."

Lisanna's light voice had him halting in his steps, and he reluctantly turned to face her once more.

She gave him a warm grin, a spark of curiosity in her blue eyes, "I couldn't help but notice the license plate on the van. You're from Crocus?"

Juvia's eyes widened, unable to stop herself from blurting out, "God, why'd you move all the way from Crocus on a day like today?"

"I know," his gaze fell to the floor, his deep voice holding a heavy tone that Juvia deemed far too regretful for their topic of conversation. "It wasn't good planning on our part."

Juvia shared a glance with her friend, Lisanna obviously feeling the same way about the direction their conversation was going.

The blunette struggled to find something to say in response. Making conversation with customers was the norm among workers in Magnolia, along with the underlying expectation of insuring that their customers left with a smile. Although this guy was a customer of Lisanna's and not her own, Juvia still wanted to help her friend out. She glanced outside, a small smile on her face as she watched the rain patter against the window, "Well…they do say that it's good luck to move on a rainy day."

"Of course!" Lisanna chimed in.

Their pleasant demeanors had no effect, his lips pressed into a thin line as he quickly tried to end the conversation, "Bye, then."

"Have a safe trip!" Lisanna called after him with small wave, but he made no indication of having heard her farewell.

Juvia pursed her lips, shrugging the matter off and heading back towards the pizza she'd brought for her and her friend, intent on having it eaten before Lisanna's brother could get home and steal it from them.

* * *

' _You have arrived at your destination. Ending voice navigation.'_

Lucy furrowed her brows as she looked at the way the headlights of the old van shined on the rickety, wood fence in front of them, the gate hanging off of its hinges. Vines slithered their way through the wooden planks of the fence, nearly swallowing the entirety of the barrier in green.

"Dad?" she started quietly, her voice laced with doubt and slight fear of the answer she'd receive, "Are we really at the right place?"

"Well…" her father sounded hesitant, traces of doubt in his voice, "…it's the correct address."

The blonde swallowed, turning her gaze back to the decrepit building beyond the gate that was supposed to be their new home. Its windows were all completely shattered, the same vines that crawled through the fence climbing all the way up the sides of the house and disappearing through the windows. Cracks scaled the outer walls, and the wood of the porch was crumbling into decay.

It looked like something straight out of a horror film, and it was obvious that the home had been abandoned for quite some time, left to fall into disrepair and ruin by its previous owners.

Her father suddenly cleared his throat, and Lucy watched in the rear view mirror as his reflection filled with fury. His jaw was clenched as he shoved his door open, his voice full of tension and underlying anger as he quickly commanded, "Wait here for a minute." He slammed the door shut behind him and stormed off, disappearing through the gate of the house with his phone pressed to his ear, heatedly grumbling to himself as he walked away.

The reality of what had happened hit Lucy as her mother suddenly pressed her hand over her eyes, tears streaming down her face from beneath her palm. The blonde fought to restrain her own angry tears as she realized that her father's so-called 'dear friend' had scammed them. That last bit of money they'd used to pay for the house had been their everything, and now…they had nothing left but each other.

* * *

" _Magnolia one-one, do you copy?"_

Mira let out a small sigh as she retrieved her radio from its latch on the dash of her police car, her thin fingers quickly working over the buttons, "Magnolia one-one here. What's the problem?"

" _We received a call about a drunk man in his forties causing a scene in front of the bus terminal on Third Street. Please report to the scene."_

"Roger," she latched the radio back in its place, her eyebrow twitching in annoyance as she turned her focus to her partner in the passenger seat. His snores filled the car, his police uniform coat laid across his chest as he napped while on duty.

Mira tried to be amiable at first, her tone relatively respectful as she called for him to wake up, "Sergeant. Sergeant Dreyar." Her voice rose in volume when the lump beside her made no move, her hand whapping him across the shoulder repeatedly, "Laxus! Get up already!"

His head shot from his shoulder, sleepily and angrily squinting at her as he ground out, "What the hell, woman!"

She turned her keys in the ignition, paying his grouchy mood no mind, "We've received a call about a drunk."

Laxus scoffed, falling back in his seat and pulling his coat back over his shoulders, "There's a drunk right here. Shit, my head hurts."

With an angry groan, she elbowed him in the chest as she stepped on the gas, "Get up!"

* * *

"Do we really have to go home already?" Loke complained aloud as he trudged out of the bar in front of his friends, hands comfortably tucked into his pockets.

Natsu glanced down at his watch, pursing his lips, "Well, it's already past eleven, so-"

"So what?" the orange haired playboy cut him off. "Are you Cinderella? Why do you have to go home so early? It's the weekend, so we should go have some fun!" He lightly jabbed his elbows into his friends' sides. When his jabs received no response from Natsu and Elfman, he looked past the salmon haired boy on his right to give the last member of their group a pointed stare, "Aren't I right, Gray?"

The raven haired boy rolled his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh, "What do you want to do, then?"

Loke lips twisted in a small pout, his eyes scanning the damp pavement beneath them, "Well then…since it rained-"

He cut himself off and went rigid as police sirens sounded from down the alley, whooping only once as the flashing blue and red lights on the cop car moseying to a stop in front of them were turned off.

The orange haired playboy cursed under his breath, not just because the cops were there, but rather more because of _who_ the cops were. He'd recognize their specific police car anywhere given that it was in his driveway many nights, and sure enough, when the passenger side window rolled down he was greeted by his brother's face.

"Hey, baby bro," Laxus addressed, two fingers raised as he gestured for his orange haired sibling to come closer.

After a moment of preparing himself for the chastisement he was about to receive from his older brother, Loke left his friends behind to watch on in silence as he approached the car reluctantly, praying that the blond cop wouldn't be able to smell on the alcohol on him. He knew he wouldn't get in any serious trouble with the law given Magnolia's somewhat general disregard for the country's drinking age, and if it were any other cop in the car before him, he was sure he'd probably be sent off with only a warning and a slap on the back of his hand.

But his brother was an entirely different story, and Loke wasn't keen on falling victim to his wrath again.

Laxus quirked a brow as he looked between his brother and his three friends, not oblivious to the fact that they'd just exited a bar. "You staying out of trouble?" his tone was harsh, but the content of his question conveyed his care for his younger brother.

A forced grin wormed its way onto Loke's features, though his teeth were still clenched tightly together, "Of course."

The blond cop gave his brother a knowing look, "You know what happens if you ride a motorcycle while drunk, right?"

Loke bobbed his head in a single nod, his hands clasped in front of him, "You said I'd die a terrible death."

Content with that answer, Laxus moved on with a heavy sigh, "Ya know, you should really call mom and let her know if you're going to be staying out this late." He reached through the window and whapped his brother on the chest for good measure.

"I was just about to call her," he rushed out, hurrying to save his skin when Laxus quirked a disbelieving brow, "Really, I swear I was."

The orange haired playboy tensed even further if possible when the driver of the car leaned over Laxus, another face that he was even more terrified of coming into view. Mira looked and acted sweet enough, but he was well aware of the calamity she could cause when she really lost it.

The white haired cop gave him a soft smile, though her voice was slightly reprimanding as she spoke. Loke was just glad that she seemed to be directing her words at his friends just as much as she was at him, her gaze lingering longer on her little brother in particular, "And it's the middle of the school year, you know. You guys should really be studying instead of out partying."

In a rush to get the pair's attention off of him and his friends for the sake of preventing the mood of their evening from being dampened like the pavement beneath them, Loke attempted to turn their thoughts elsewhere, "So…where are you headed?"

"Zentopia. We just picked up a drunk," Mira informed him. She let out a small sigh, "I feel bad for bothering them as often as we do."

Laxus huffed out a breath, "I don't really believe in their whole 'returning lost souls to the Almighty' premise, but they take in the destitute and the homeless. It really helps keep the streets of Magnolia clear."

As if he had been waiting for a cue, the drunk in the back seat of their car groaned, suddenly flailing forward between the passenger's and driver's seats and regurgitating the contents of his stomach across Laxus' lap.

The blond cop let out a deep groan and Mira cringed, her hand flying to plug her nose.

Laxus pinched the bridge of his nose between his index finger and his thumb in irritation, "Just…just go, Mira."

Loke smirked wickedly as they drove off, recalling the face Laxus had made as the vomit splattered across his lap, "Serves him right!"

* * *

With nowhere else to head, the Heartfilia family had sought refuge at Magnolia's public recreational center. The food there wasn't the best, but it was cheap. And cheap was exactly what they needed.

Lucy softly sniffled to herself as she slurped her cup of instant noodles, trying to clear her mind of any thoughts about the heavy weight that was only continuing to pile upon her shoulders, growing heavier with each passing moment.

Her mother was quietly seated across from her and her twin as they ate, her eyes downcast and slightly out of focus.

"Mom," Sting started softly, his voice tinged with worry, "aren't you going to eat?"

Layla gave both of her children a soft smile, her voice small as she fed them a lie in an attempt to ease their concerns, "No…I'm alright. My stomach's a bit upset, so...Make sure you two eat plenty though, okay?"

Lucy swallowed heavily at her mother's refusal to eat for their sake, but she didn't push the topic any further, knowing that increasing the tension between them, even by a small fraction, was the last thing they needed.

So instead, she brought up a different point, swallowing another mouthful of noodles before asking, "Where's dad?

"I'm not sure, dear," her mother lightly answered, "He said he had to make a call."

The blonde bit her lip, her ill feelings about being kept in the dark bubbling up inside of her once more. She admired and loved her parents dearly for everything they'd done for her and Sting, but Jude and Layla's constant need to hide things from their children with the belief that they were protecting them was starting to drive her insane. She'd always been irritated by their tendency to sugarcoat things, and now that their future was at stake, she'd grown to absolutely _loath_ her parents' coping mechanism. She'd much rather prefer to face her battles head on and grow stronger by enduring them instead of being forced to let her parents face the danger while she was kept at a distance.

She let out a small sigh, desperately needing to get away from her mother and brother for a moment to vent out some of her frustration on her own. "I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back," she excused herself from the table, giving her mom a forced, barely there smile before she left.

Lucy headed towards the bathroom, planning on sitting in a stall, and possibly finally letting some of her tears loose, for a bit before splashing her face with a handful of water and heading back to her family with her fake 'I'm totally handling all of this just fine' persona intact once more.

Just as her hand moved to push the door to the ladies' room open, her ears picked up shouting from beyond a nearby door to a stairwell, her curiosity peeking when she recognized the voice as her father's.

A small part of her knew that it'd be best if she just ignored it, but she'd had enough of her parents pretending like everything was okay. Assuming that he was screaming over what she thought he was, she figured that if her father knew she'd overheard him, he'd finally be forced to admit everything to her and then they could work on fixing things together instead of him having to face their burdens alone.

So she quietly pressed the door opened and entered the dimly lit stairwell, flinching when her father's voice echoed through the small space, harsher than she'd ever heard before and full of more anger than she'd ever known him to possess.

Her gaze traveled up the stairwell, her eyes finding her father on the top landing, his back to her as he raged into his phone, "You didn't really do this to us, did you?! That money was all we had left!"

Lucy bit her lip, her assumptions on the topic of his call confirmed as he yelled, "Are…are you gambling right now, you bastard?! With _our_ money?!"

She sucked in a breath, her fingers anxiously tangling in the material of her skirt. Things were worse than she'd thought, and tears gathered in her eyes when her very last smidgeon of hope threatened to go out.

They couldn't get their money back if it was already lost by the one who'd taken it.

Her eyes widened as a string of curse words suddenly burst from her father's mouth upon being hung up on, his fingers furiously redialing the same number. Her father _never_ swore. She'd never heard such vulgar words slip from his tongue; he was normally too composed and well-mannered for such language.

The blonde swallowed heavily, her voice choked as she shakily breathed out, "D-dad?"

Her father turned over his shoulder, his eyes wide as he caught sight of her standing at the bottom of the stairwell. There were traces of fear in his features, too; fear that she'd overheard his conversation and fear as to how she would react.

His suspicions were confirmed when her lip began to quiver, having to fight against her rising sobs as she asked, "Dad…who…who was that?" She didn't want to fall apart in front of her father like this, but she couldn't stay strong anymore. Not when every last bit of hope she had was being stolen away.

Jude visibly struggled for words, his lips moving as if he wanted to speak, but no sound was issued forth.

Her tears finally slipped free in two small streams, "Was it Jose? He…he really did con us, d-didn't he?"

The stairwell was filled with sounds of hurried footfalls her father rushed to comfort her, the blonde admitting defeat and letting her sobs take over as he pulled her into a warm embrace. He was mumbling little nothings in an attempt to calm his daughter, but he wasn't able to keep his own fear and sorrow from slipping into his voice as he held her.

"Every...everything's going to turn out fine, right?" Lucy hopelessly asked, her fingers moving to fist in the back of her father's shirt.

He affectionately brushed his hand through her hair, his lips pressed into a thin line, "Of course, darling. We don't have anything to be afraid of. We're stronger than this, and we'll make it through. I promise."

* * *

The night was young, and just like the night, Natsu, Gray, Loke, and Elfman were still youthful at heart; their knees scrunched into their chest as they squeezed into the tiny chairs in front of the arcade machines at Magnolia's public recreational center. Popsicles were clenched between their lips as they zoned out during their gameplay, a line of children waiting behind them for the teens to be done so they could finally take their turn.

A swish of blonde hair brushed past Natsu's arm, and without even looking, the salmon haired boy jabbed his elbow into Elfman's side, each pair of eyes remaining glued to their individual screens as the conversation traveled down the line of four.

"You guys saw that, right?" Natsu started.

"Yep," Elfman answered simply.

"Was that really her?" Gray questioned.

"The pretty girl from Crocus," Loke hummed.

After his comment, the group was silent, finally peeling their eyes from screens of the arcade machines and sharing a quick glance with one another before starting from their seats in unison, quietly trailing behind the blonde and her father at a distance.

The group of four ducked behind the cover of the last row of bookshelves before the library gave way to the cafeteria, crouching down so that just their heads were peeking over the top.

"They had a shit ton of stuff in their truck earlier," Loke remarked, sucking on his popsicle as he watched the blonde head back towards her mother and brother. "It seemed like they were moving, didn't it?"

Gray quirked a brow, "Well then why the hell are they here?"

"Shit!" Natsu hissed as her head naturally turned in their direction as she took her seat at the table, forcefully sending his own body tumbling to the floor to avoid her gaze. His lips twisted in his a childish pout when the action detached the remainder of his frozen treat from its stick, the popsicle quickly turning into mush on the floor.

His three friends flopped to the floor in a similar manner simultaneously, Loke accidentally dragging a few books off the top shelf in his haste. He groaned as they knocked him on the head during their fall, cringing as he rubbed the new sore spot on his skull, "She couldn't' have seen us, right?"

A mischievous smirk suddenly spread across Gray's features, his eyes devious as he looked between his three friends.

They caught his drift without a single words having to slip from his lips.

The raven haired boy readied his hand, trying to catch his friends off guard as he quickly huffed out, "Rock, paper, scissors!"

Their hands all flew outwards, three fists and one pair of 'scissors.'

Natsu quietly chuckled as he followed the arm of the odd-one-out back its owner, his laughter deepening when he saw the despair on Loke's face.

A shit eating grin replaced Gray's smirk as he rested his elbow atop the orange haired playboy's shoulder, leaning in close to his friend as he jabbed, "Loke, a man should always stick with 'rock.'"

The playboy sucked in a deep breath, crawling past his friends to peek his head around the corner of the bookshelf and look for the blonde to see if she'd caught sight of them.

His friends weren't a fan of his hesitance, and the three simultaneously shoved him forward with a few hands, and even a foot, to his butt, roughly sending him tumbling out into the middle of the walkway. He scrambled to catch himself before his face could become well-acquainted with the bookshelf across the way, turning back to them with a glare that promised vengeance, hissing at them under his breath and cursing them all to hell; the usual insults that passed between them on the daily.

"Were you trying to break my face?!"

Natsu brushed his threats aside, knowing the playboy didn't have the heart to follow through with them, "Hurry up. Is she still there?"

Loke begrudgingly turned his focus back to the cafeteria, his childish pout dissolving and his brows quirking in confusion, "She's…she's gone."

* * *

 **AN**

 **Hello again! I'm back with a new story! And another kdrama AU…I told myself I wasn't going to write another one so soon, but I received a lot support on Scarlet Heart and I'm facing major writer's block on the other fanfics I'm writing, so I decided to let those ideas fester for a bit more and write something else that I've been dying to write for ages! I'll be going about adapting the story of Save Me with the characters from Fairy Tail a bit differently than I did with Scarlet Heart however. I plan on adding in more characters so that we get to see all of our fav FT peeps, and with their additions to the story, I'll be tweaking a few of the subplots and further exploring a few ideas presented in Save Me that I feel they didn't have the time to fully develop. I'll also be cutting a crap ton of scenes out, mainly because I find them unnecessary in the overall plot.**

 **I want to make sure that the plot advances in every chapter, so chapters will be longer than they were in SH. The trade-off is that I won't be able to update three times a week like I did with SH, so this fic will update every Friday. If I continue to put as much content into each chapter as I did with this one, then there should be about 36-40ish chapters in this fic. I'll let you know as we get closer to the end though.**

 **If this is your first time reading one of my fics, know that I like to use my ANs to elaborate on my choices/answer your guys' questions/talk about other important things, so it's not necessary to read any further unless you'd like to know more. Normally my ANs aren't this long, but since this is a new story, I have quite a bit I'd like to get laid out right away to maybe answer some the questions you might have and let you know more about what you're getting yourself into by reading this fic.**

 **The first six chapters of this fic take place three years before the rest, so chapter seven is where the** _ **real**_ **story begins. The events of these first chapters are kind of like a prologue and their main function is to set things up, but nevertheless, they're still super important for the sake of understanding the rest of the story.**

 **I used the name Zentopia for our religious cult just because that's the only religion we really know about in the FT verse, and like I've said before, I'm not creative with names. However, none of the Zentopia peeps will be in this fic. You'll find out who the preacher and the dark haired woman were in the next chapter, though I'm sure you already have a few ideas.**

 **In terms of relationships, this fic will centrally focus on the relationships between Natsu, Lucy, and Gray. There will eventually be some Nalu (because duh, they're my otp and I don't think I'll ever be able to write a fic without my fav piece of ship), but also know that romance isn't going to be the central focus of this story because there's going to be a crap ton of other shiz happening. There will also be some Graylu if you choose to interpret it that way, but I'm trying to give their interactions more of a brother/sister vibe instead of a romantic vibe since that's the type of relationship I prefer for them (they're my brotp). The whole 'kindred spirit' thing will be explained and come into play later. The bromance between Natsu and Gray will also be off the charts, so prepare yourselves.**

 **In terms of other ships, Miraxus will probably be the next biggest ship, though we won't see it much in a romantic sense until the very end, and there will also be some very very very very very minor Gruvia and Jerza later on, but not loads of interactions. Like I said in the last paragraph, don't expect a ton of romantic moments.**

 **While the choice is completely up to you, as an author, my preference is that you avoid watching the drama until I've finished this fic just so I can see your pure reactions to the events in this story. I just think it might be more enjoying and exciting for both me and you guys if you experience the story firsthand with characters of FT as opposed to already knowing what's coming. Again, though, the choice is completely up to you~**

 **As always, thanks for taking the time to read my writing! I hope you enjoy the rest of this fic!**


	2. Chapter 2: Hear Our Prayer

**In this chapter, you'll meet my very first OC…*drumroll*…Gray's grandma (hahahaha).**

 **We'll meet all of our main 'villains' in this chapter, and again, I'm sorry for how OOC they are…**

 **Also, remember those sexual themes I warned you about last time? They already come into play in this chapter, so you've been warned.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

 **Hear Our Prayer**

Lucy swallowed as she glanced around at the single room her family would have to share, her mind already dreading the night because of how close they'd have to sleep together on the floor in order for all of them to fit. The white walls were colored brown and black with stains in various different patches, and the few pieces of furniture in the room were heavily withered with rust and dirt blotching their surfaces.

Her father had found work at a local farm, desperately accepting the job regardless of the low pay and amount of manual labor it required because it promised food and housing.

She bit her lip, trying her best to be positive as she watched Sting drag his hand down the doorframe, her twin's fingertips only traveling a few inches before pulling back in fear of getting splinters, "It's…it's not that bad."

"Really?" Jude sought for affirmation from his place behind her, sharing an apprehensive glance with his wife as his two children looked over their new, rather dreary abode.

"Yep," the blonde lightly hummed, turning to face her family fully with a reassuring, soft grin on her face, "It's fine as long as we can stay together, right?"

"Of course, dear," her mother returned her gentle smile, "Let's move what we need first then, alright?"

Without another word, Layla began her lengthy scrub down of the home, getting down on her hands and knees to start with the wooden floors, her rag quickly dirtying with filth and grime.

The twins followed their father back to the van, helping unload the small stack of boxes from the trunk. Lucy and Jude took up the task of carrying the boxes from their car to the house while Sting stayed behind to pull the boxes from further back in the trunk closer to the door, sorting out where the boxes needed to go as he went.

Lucy smiled as she watched her twin work with a soft, amiable grin on his face, glad to see that he was still doing all he could despite the physical remnants of what had happened to and because of him three months ago. While she knew her brother would never fully recover from the past, she was at the very least content with seeing him try his hardest to carry on, and so she resolved to do her best to endure as well, regardless of the situation they'd fallen into.

Because like she'd said before, everything would be fine as long as they were together.

* * *

Lucy swallowed hungrily as she stared at the steaming bowl of soup her mother had placed in the middle of the table, both her and her twin respectfully waiting for their father to take his first bite so they could begin digging into their own meals. She squinted when a breeze rustled the leaves of the trees they'd set their table under, the sunlight weaving through the branches and shining directly into her eyes.

Her father seemed hesitant to eat his meal, his mind instead focused on something internal as he silently stared off into space. The positive, optimistic atmosphere Lucy had crafted earlier had finally seemed to lose its affect over him, and he suddenly sighed solemnly, "I'm sorry, you guys. I'll work diligently and find a better place for us to live soon. I promise. So please do your best to endure it until then."

Lucy gave him a soft smile, "You don't have to worry too much, dad. We'll be fine here for the time being." The blonde looked around at their serene surroundings, taking a deep breath and sighing in content. For once, she wasn't lying for the sake of comforting and reassuring her family, and she was genuinely starting to believe in her own words, "The room still needs some fixing up, but the air is nice and the water is clean." She gently giggled as the noises of the farm animals carried through the air, "And we're eating dinner with the sounds of cows mooing in the distance. It kind of feels like we're living in olden times, doesn't it?"

Sting let out a single, breathy laugh, his voice quiet as he remarked, "Yeah. I'm happy here, too." His lips quirked in a small smile, and Lucy's heart warmed at the rare sight.

At their children's genuine words of reassurance, the Heartfilia parents couldn't help but adopt their own pleasant grins.

"The food will get cold! Hurry up so the kids can eat, dear!" Layla demanded of her husband from across the table.

After her father finally began his meal, Lucy took her first sip of her own soup, her taste buds dancing in delight at the taste, "This is really good, mom!"

Layla turned to her son, "What about you, Sting? Do you like it?"

His face had tinted red as soon as he'd put his first spoonful into his mouth, his lips attempting to quiver into a grin as he barely managed to falsely huff out, "It's…it's delicious."

Lucy giggled at the sweat running down his face, "It's really spicy, isn't it?"

The air was filled with laughter as a few, harmless words of teasing were tossed at the blond boy, the family feeling genuinely happy for the first time in days.

* * *

Precht silently clasped his hands behind his back as he watched the family of blondes laugh together under the shade of a tree as they ate their meal, having to squint to get a good look at their faces from his place on the porch of the farmer's home. He could hear his apostles conversing with the old man inside, but he paid them no mind, his focus instead devotedly attached to the family. The daughter in particular seemed to smile the brightest as she laughed, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she seemed to tease her brother about something he couldn't quite hear.

He didn't cast Ultear a single glance as she exited the house and came to stand beside him, her eyes traveling between him and the family a few times, "Is there a problem, Spiritual Father?"

Laughter continued to pleasantly ring through the air, the family completely oblivious to those whom were watching them carefully.

Precht's expression was unflinching as he monotonously remarked, "They look very happy."

Her brows furrowed at his comment, searching his side profile for details as to what he was getting at.

The preacher only continued to stare, his tone growing heavier with the weight of solemnity, "Don't you miss it sometimes?"

Ultear's features lost all traces of her former pleasantness at his inquiry, her expression darkening as she turned her focus back to the family, bitterly letting her mind succumb to the urge to lose herself in memories of better days.

* * *

Gray swallowed nervously as he reluctantly approached the drunk man who was precariously seated on a street curb, a bottle clutched tightly in his grasp as he swayed, fighting to remain seated upright in his alcohol-induced stupor. There was a tray full of food lying untouched on the sidewalk next to him, and Gray let out a heavy breath when he realized that his grandmother must have stopped by earlier to visit the drunk.

The raven haired boy clasped his hands in front of himself as he came to a stop in front of the curb, keeping far enough away from the man in case he decided to get violent, which he normally did when Gray came to see him. The boy kept his gaze trained on the pavement, his voice barely above a whisper and laced with traces of his unwillingness, "Dad…grandma wants you to come home for dinner today."

Silver sucked in a rugged breath, his eyes drunkenly squinting in the daylight as he tried to focus on the boy before him, "Stop with the nonsense already…and go buy some more alcohol for me." The man drained the bottle of its contents and released an undignified belch, his eyes morphing into a heated glare when he found that his son hadn't moved an inch despite his command.

Gray flinched as his father launched the bottle at him, the glass shattering into pieces at his feet. He finally raised his gaze to his father's, a glare of his own beginning to form as he clenched his hands into fists.

But he knew he could never bring himself to actually fight back against his father, despite how much stronger he'd grown over the years. Deep down, he was still the same terrified, little kid, the one who would let his father beat him senseless without so much as a peep.

An accusing finger pointed at his chest, his father drunkenly slurring, "You know, you look just like your mom." Silver suddenly slumped off of the curb, hacking to himself and tugging at his clothes as if he wanted to rip them off. He let out another belch, his glare returning at full force as he ground out, "You shouldn't have been born in the first place. Having you was a _mistake._ "

Gray stood completely still, his face forcefully void of all emotion. No matter how many times he fell victim to the same insults that spewed from his father's mouth, they never got any easier to hear.

"Whenever I see you, I…I get so _angry_ ," his father fumed, still pulling at his clothes as his voice grew even louder and harsher, "It'd be better if you'd just die! Leave the same way your mother did and just die, you bastard!"

The raven haired boy swallowed, fighting to keep the angry tears that threatened to spill from his eyes at bay. He absolutely _would not_ cry in front of his father. He'd pledged long ago to never again show weakness in front of the man who'd made his life hell; the man who had abused him for years after his mother's death.

With his teeth clenched, he turned his back on his father, not an ounce of sincerity in his voice as he ground out, "Bye then, dad."

* * *

The old, metal gate of the Fullbuster home creaked raucously as it was shoved open and slammed shut again in the matter of only a few seconds, the rusted hinges threatening to give out against such a force.

Gray didn't bother feeling sorry about it though, his mind still caught up in other things. A frustrated cry flew from his lips as he took out his anger on the stack of garbage just inside the gate, furiously kicking the pile over and stomping on a few pieces of the spilled trash in his heated rage.

The old woman kneeling next to the house's small, poor excuse for a garden paused in her work, her calloused hands removing her dirtied gloves as she looked to her grandson.

Her wrinkles deepened in sorrow, a knowing look on her face as she took in his frustration, "What kind of father doesn't remember his own son's birthday?" She gave him a warm smile, attempting to get his mind off of things, "I ordered Chinese food, your favorite. Let's go ahead and eat."

Gray swallowed heavily, the back of his eyes burning with angry tears and his fists still clenched into fists so tight that his knuckles turned white. He didn't want to take his animosity out on her, but he couldn't stop the heated words from pouring from his mouth at her sacrifice for him, "You barely have any money. Why would you order something like that?"

Her soft grin never once faded, even at his charged tone, "It's okay, dear. Let's go and eat."

She finally stood from her place next to the garden, her bad spine nearly sending her tumbling back to the ground.

Gray rushed to catch her before she could fall, his hand tightly gripping one of her own whilst his other clasped around her shoulder.

Once she was steadied on her feet, she moved both of her hands to affectionately pat her grandson's cheeks, a warm grin still gracing her features, "I can give you my everything, even if I don't have much." Her smile grew a bit watery, "I'm so sorry that I can't do more for you on your birthday."

Gray smiled back in an effort to stop his own tears from finally slipping free, once again feeling overwhelmed by her undying tenderness towards him. He didn't think he deserved such devotion, and from a woman who had so little to give no less. He hunched down to affectionately place a soft kiss on her cheek before pulling back to look her in the eyes, "Grandma, you're my favorite person in the whole world. So you don't need be sorry, okay?"

She nodded and hummed in understanding, a bright smile on her face, "Now, let's go and eat, dear."

He returned the gesture, "'Kay."

Gray kept her hand in his as he wrapped his other arm around her lower back, helping her inside the house and to the table where their food was waiting.

He made sure to eat every bite of the food she'd bought for him, relishing in the joy upon her face as she watched him stuff his face. There was pride in her expression, too, and he sucked in every feature of her face while he could, knowing he didn't have much time left with his cherished grandmother.

* * *

"Here, open wide."

Natsu's eyebrows quirked in confusion as he entered the familiar hospital room he visited nearly every day. He hadn't expected anyone else to be inside, and he was taken aback as he rounded the corner to see his brother leaning over the hospital bed, a bowl of soup and a spoon in his hands.

"Oh, Zeref. I didn't think you'd be here."

His brother only gave him a small smile as he scooped another spoonful of soup from the bowl, "Have you eaten?"

"Yeah. What about you?"

Zeref lifted the spoon to the mouth of the patient in the bed, his voice losing a fraction of it pleasant tone, "Wendy should eat first, so I came here before going home."

Natsu swallowed heavily as he looked to the blunette in the bed, her eyes unfocused and staring at nothing just like they always were as of late. She hadn't been herself since her accident a little over a month ago, an injury to her spinal cord preventing her body from functioning properly.

Despite the doctor's words, Natsu knew she'd get better. He could see it in her eyes, that his adopted little sister was still in there, fighting to get out and live life again.

And he'd be there to help her every step of the way. He'd make sure of it.

Even if she wasn't his real little sister, they'd practically grown up like full siblings due to the love and affection of their adoptive parents. Their lack of common blood hadn't stopped them from growing devotedly attached to one another, and Natsu would even go as far as arguing that they were closer than some of the full-blooded siblings that he knew, namely Loke and Laxus.

Zeref's relationship with the blunette didn't have the same depth due to the wide age gap between him and Wendy, but they'd grown closer when both Natsu and the young girl had moved in with the oldest Dragneel boy after the sudden deaths of their adoptive parents three years ago.

Natsu swallowed down the sorrow he felt every time he caught a glance of his sister's current state, holding his hand out for the bowl, "Here, give it to me. I'll do it."

"Okay," once Zeref's hands were free, he lowered himself into a chair at the girl's bedside, a small smile on his face.

Natsu took a seat as well, scooping another spoonful of soup and holding it up to his sister's mouth. Her lips parted only a small fraction, but it was enough of a gap for him to the pour the soup in. A soft grin appeared on his features as he set the spoon in the bowl and retrieved a napkin from her bedside table, lightly dabbing at a few beads of soup that hadn't managed to make into her mouth, "You're eating well today, Wen."

Zeref swallowed heavily, traces of sorrow in his eyes as he watched his younger brother, "I know this is hard for you."

Natsu filled the spoon once more, still smiling softly, "No, I'm fine." He lifted his gaze to his little sister, "If it's hard for anyone, it'd be Wendy, not me."

"Wendy's a strong person," the older Dragneel remarked softly.

Natsu sighed heavily at the comment, once more thinking of the girl his little sister had been before her accident.

He checked the time on his watch, glancing up at his brother, "You should head home and get some sleep. You'll be busy with work all day tomorrow, right?"

Zeref chuckled, jokingly aghast as he incredulously asked, "Is the headstrong Natsu finally showing concern? And for me, no less! Why am I worthy of such an honor?"

"Oh, shut up," Natsu brushed his brother's joke aside with a soft chuckle, "It's just that you should be healthy if you really want to win the election for governor again."

The dark haired man seated across the bed was still lightly laughing to himself, "Okay, then. If you're the one telling me, then of course I can't refuse."

* * *

Lucy let out a small, somewhat irritated sigh when her shoulder lightly jostled against Sting's for the twelfth time since they'd started their drive, her father steering their van up yet another windy, uneven forest road. While she appreciated Magnolia's farms and open pastures, the forested mountains that surrounded the little town on all sides were definitely something that would take some getting used to. She still much rather seeing the mountains in the distance, like she'd been able to from her family's high rise apartment building in Crocus, instead of being nestled between them like she was now.

Earlier in the day, Jude had come home with a small smile upon his face, informing his wife and children that while at work, he'd been approached by someone who wanted to meet with their family, someone who could offer them aid. He hadn't been able to refuse their request, and so the family had stuffed themselves back into their old van, the twins albeit somewhat reluctantly, and started towards the forest on the east side of town, following the road signs for 'Zentopia.'

Lucy's brows furrowed as they drove up to a newly built white church, signs warning of construction and plastic sheets still draped across the frame as the finishing touches were added to the building. Its architecture was a strange mixture of gothic and the modest style most modern churches were built in accordance to, a large steeple with a red cross at its peak extending high above the tops of the trees which surrounded the church on all sides. There were several dirt paths leading off into the forest in various directions, and Lucy assumed that they led to the establishment's other buildings.

As she exited the car, along with the rest of her family, her gaze followed the long steeple upwards, her head craning backwards and her eyes squinting in the sunlight. She was sure she'd be able to see the large red cross from the valley, and she made a mental note to look for it when they returned to the farm.

A woman with purple hair so dark it would've appeared black if not for the light of the sun pulling out its wine hue was waiting on the steps that lead up to the church, her lips pulled into a tight smile and painted an obnoxious shade of red that matched her watchful eyes.

Her hands were reverently clasped at her front, her smile not quite reaching her eyes as she greeted the Heartfilias, "Welcome. You must be the family our Spiritual Father invited. I'm Apostle Ultear Milkovich of Zentopia."

Lucy's eyebrows raised a fraction at the information. Upon catching her first glance of the woman and examining her somewhat self-important and well made-up appearance, the blonde hadn't expected her to hold such an important position in a religious group. Though she quickly cast her surprise aside, knowing looks didn't define a person as she bitterly recalled the rather insulting and demeaning names she'd often been called by random men on the city streets back in Crocus all because of her curvy figure.

"You must feel incredibly honored to have been chosen by the Almighty," Ultear pleasantly continued, her hair and long skirt swishing around her as she turned to make her way up the stairs and into the church, "Spiritual father is waiting for you inside. Please, come in."

Lucy shared a reluctant look with her twin as their mother and father started up the stairs almost immediately, obviously not wanting to be rude by making the woman and the man who had invited them wait.

But instead of eagerly charging up the steps like her parents, Lucy stayed behind with Sting, walking slow in order to stay by his side as he did his best to limp with his disabled leg dragging behind him. Being his twin, she knew better than anyone how disconcerting it was for him to be left behind on his own due to his forced slower pace, constantly struggling to catch up because the wound he'd received to his leg during the incident all those months ago would never heal.

She tried to be by his side always, constantly letting him know that she'd meant it when she said she'd never leave him alone again after the one night she had all those months ago, the night when their entire lives had changed.

* * *

Lucy warily eyed the blond man seated on the chair to the left of the couch where she and Sting had settled, his hair beginning to gray and his white suit annoyingly free of any stains or wrinkles. He'd introduced himself as Precht Gaebolg, but Ultear had insisted on him being referred to as 'Spiritual Father.' The dark haired woman stood behind the old man as they conversed, her tight smile still pulling at her painted lips.

The Heartfilia parents were seated on another couch across from their children, Jude's previous enthusiasm about their meeting seeming to deflate a fraction at Precht's strange clothing and the whole idea of a 'Spirtual Father,' which Ultear had rambled on about nonstop on their walk to the man's office.

Lucy was unnerved by the way their so-called 'Spiritual Father' carried himself, his expression and tone neither amiable nor unpleasant as he looked around at them all. His lack of visible emotion made her increasingly uncomfortable the longer she sat in his office, and the way he stared at each of her family members in turn as he placed four cups of tea on the table in front of them sent chills ricocheting up and down her spine, "Here. You should drink it while it's still warm.

"Know that this is no ordinary tea," Ultear added in. "It was made using the living water our Spiritual Father blessed with his own hands. Our pastor here is more than just a clergy to us. He's the father of our spirits, and so he holds a special power to do such things."

Lucy glanced around at her family, their expressions letting her know that they shared her feelings about the peculiarity of the situation. They'd never felt particularly inclined to join any one religion, instead respecting and finding intrigue within all the religious groups they'd encountered. This group so far, however, felt off somehow to the blonde as she observed the way they spoke and acted. Their amity was overwhelmingly forthright and earnest, so much so that it felt faked, and therefore their preaching seemed more like falsehood than anything else.

Her father respectfully nodded his head in understanding despite his feelings, still seeking to give the man whom wanted to become their family's benefactor a good first impression, "Oh, I see."

Lucy shrunk into herself a small fraction when she turned her focus back to Precht, unnerved to find his eyes already dutifully focused on her face as if he was searching for something in her features.

Although he spoke to her parents, he continued to stare at the blonde as he remarked, "Your children have truly clean spirits…What are your names?"

"Lucy," the blonde quietly informed him after a few moments of hesitation, still unnerved by his gaze.

"I'm Sting," her twin quietly answered. She could hear the strain in his voice as he fought off his nervous stutter, which had almost become the norm for him in terms of speech.

Precht hummed, seemingly in thought, but as he continued to stare at the girl, Lucy swore she picked up traces of something that she could only describe as satisfaction in his croon, "How old are you two?"

Layla answered for them, happily and proudly speaking of her children, "They're both seventeen. They're binovular twins."

"Almighty's grace is truly astonishing," the preacher was still staring, and for some reason, Lucy couldn't stop staring back, "Don't you agree, apostle Milkovich?"

"Yes, indeed," Ultear pleasantly affirmed. "There are many priceless gifts which the Almighty has sent to us."

Lucy finally tore her gaze from the old man's when she noticed that the dark haired woman was staring at her as well, a look in her eyes similar to Precht's. But her expression was somewhat more apologetic and even a tad remorseful, features that sent chills down Lucy's spine once again.

* * *

Gray let out another huff of frustration as the rock he'd thrown broke the surface of the lake before him, the water splashing and rippling outwards in its wake. At first, he'd tried to skip the rocks, but his lack of concentration proved too strong for him to get more than a few good skips. Now, he'd resigned to simply chucking them at full force, finding that it helped eased his anger, if only a fraction.

His thoughts were still lingering on his father, or more specifically on the things his old man had said.

Despite Silver's caustic words, urging his son to just kill himself already, Gray had never seriously thought about committing suicide like his mother had. In moments of extreme weakness, the idea had come to mind, but he'd never fallen far enough into his sorrows to actually consider doing the deed.

However, he _had_ thought about running away countless times, planning on getting on his bike and simply driving in whatever direction fate took him until he ran out of gas. But whenever thoughts like that started bubbling up in his head, he forced them away, refusing to leave his grandmother alone after all she did for him.

And the raven haired boy was sure his friends wouldn't let him go so easily if he ever were to run away, especially the salmon haired idiot. Natsu would undoubtedly manage to find him no matter where he went, stubbornly chasing after him and dragging him back whether he wanted to return or not.

As if on cue, the phone in his pocket buzzed, the screen coming to life with a notification of a text from 'Flamebrain.'

Gray tsked as he read over the message.

' _Wanna race?'_

Natsu's undying hunger for victory in everything and anything really pissed him off sometimes, but he knew he was just as much of a sucker for competition when it came down to it. That similarity was why they fought with each other as much as they did, though neither was willing to admit that they had something in common with the other.

' _You're on, ashface. Meet me at the lakeside. Same spot as always.'_

A way to blow off some steam was just what Gray needed at the moment, and a race with his rival sounded like the perfect outlet.

He chucked his final rock into the water, turning back towards his bike and mounting it before sliding his helmet on. It was ironic that something which had once belonged to his father now brought him one of his greatest freedoms in life, the bike his most common means of escape from the pressures of the world.

He didn't linger on the irony of the situation for long though, his phone vibrating once again. All thoughts of his father were chased from his mind as he read over Natsu's latest text, his lips quirking in a half-smile without his volition.

' _Happy Birthday, snowflake.'_

* * *

The occupants of Precht's office all had their heads bowed and eyes closed, Lucy and Sting clasping their hands together in prayer like they had been instructed.

The old preacher had insisted on praying for the Heartfilia children, and despite the family's slight hesitance, they'd eventually given in, not wanting to be rude to a man who was offering them aid.

Precht was kneeling on the floor in front of the twins, his eyes squeezed tightly shut and his right hand clasping Sting's knee, "Our dear Almighty, who is able to open the eyes of the blind and allows the crippled to stand, I ask you to comfort Sting's wounded body and soul. Please heal him."

"Our wishes be fulfilled," Ultear quietly whispered from where she stood behind Jude and Layla, her own head bowed in prayer.

"For Lucy, who is beautiful like porcelain and fragrant as balm…"

The blonde girl jolted, her eyes snapping open when she felt Precht's hand come to rest on the middle of her thigh, his fingers squeezing around her flesh. His grip was far too high up on her leg for her liking, her eyes desperately shooting from him to her family as panic began to seep through her veins.

But her twin and parents still had their eyes closed as the old man continued on with his prayer, and so her gaze sought out the last person in the room, her brows furrowing as her gaze connected with Ultear's. The dark haired woman had that same apologetic look on her face from before, though it was to an even greater magnitude as she gave the blonde a long, hard look before averting her focus and bowing her head once more.

Lucy didn't have time to contemplate the apostle's expression, her breath stealing from her lungs and her eyes widening as Precht's hand slid even further up her leg before clamping down again, his voice devotedly continuing on with his words of prayer, "I ask the Almighty to bless your heart. Our Almighty's blessing be with us. Please help this family…"

She tuned out his words after that, her panic about where his hand was approaching too overpowering for her to comprehend much else. To her relief, his hand never traveled any higher on her leg, but she still didn't really come back to herself until she exited the church altogether, Sting offering her his arm sometime during her daze as if sensing her discomfort.

The blonde tiredly looped her arm through his as she followed their parents back to the car in the dark night, the area in front of the church now bathed in red light from the cross atop the steeple.

Ultear had accompanied them to see them off, her lips unceasingly pulled into a smile, "Spiritual father has given his word. I'll drop by the cattle shed to meet you tomorrow morning."

Jude and Layla shared a glance, the blonde woman humbly beginning, "If you don't mind me asking, how could he so willingly insist on finding us a place to live? I'm sure there's many other things he's concerned with as the leader of your church."

"It's because the Almighty is with us," Ultear replied simply, as if it should be obvious.

"Pardon?" Layla sought for clarification.

"It's one of the commandments the Almighty has given us. 'Love thy neighbors like thy family.' That's what Spiritual Father always preaches and practices himself."

Jude nodded politely in understanding, "Oh, I see." He looked to his children, Lucy's head tiredly resting atop Sting's shoulder and the blond boy's head similarly resting atop his sister's, both obviously more than ready to leave. He turned back to give the dark haired woman his goodbyes, "We should get going."

Lucy didn't bother to pay attention as her family said the rest of their farewells, nor did she feel the need to offer Ultear any of her own.

She let Sting's arm slip from hers as he pulled the car door open before climbing inside, and she quickly went to follow him, hesitating when she felt someone's gaze on her back. She looked over her shoulder, her focus ascending the stairs leading up to the church, an uncomfortable prickling feeling taking hold of her spine when she finally made it to the top.

Precht was standing there, his hands clasped behind his back and his face still unsettlingly unreadable as it shifted in the eerie red light of the illuminated cross above.

* * *

Just like she had promised, Ultear arrived at the Heartfilila home as soon as the sun had peeked over the mountains, accompanied by two apostles from Zentopia that the family had yet to meet. The first was a man with rather unruly blond hair that fell past his shoulder blades, and just like Ultear, his eyes shone a dangerous shade of red. However, Lucy quickly decided that unlike the dark haired woman, whose eyes she actually found quite stunning, his crimson orbs only served to add to the unsettling aura that surrounded him, his crude grin further heightening the disquieting atmosphere he carried.

The second was a silent, hulking brute of a man, his skin unbelievably pale and his coarse, black hair falling in tangles to brush against his shoulders. Lucy didn't like the looks of him either, his large muscles and frame intimidating enough for her to only have to look once to feel somewhat afraid of him. It only took a moment for her to realize that he was mute, responding to all of Zancrow's snide comments by using his hands to sign.

Ultear had introduced them as Zancrow and Kain, though Lucy didn't bother committing their names to long-term memory, not intent on having to remember them for she never wanted to see them again after they said their farewells for the day.

Lucy and her family had stayed up late into the night repacking all of the thing's they'd unpacked that morning, their car fully loaded once more and ready for the journey to their new home.

The blonde was still upset that her parents, namely her father, had accepted Precht's aid. His gracious deed aside, the old preacher had done nothing but cause her skin to prickle in uneasiness during their meeting with him earlier. His grip on her leg had started out as borderline sexual harassment, but when he'd moved his hand even higher, he'd leaped over the boundary and then some, the way his fingers wrapped around her thigh far from being a friendly mistake in her mind.

Her words hadn't convinced her parents on the matter though, both of them admiring the members of Zentopia for their charity and kind deeds despite their daughter's tale of her uneasiness in the preacher's presence.

And so Lucy had been left with no other choice than to pile the boxes in the back of the van before climbing in herself as they left for their new home, not having the heart to show her parents any disrespect by arguing with them after all they'd been through.

The Heartfilia's new home was far from being comparable to the rather luxurious, two story apartment they'd owned in Crocus, but it was definitely a large improvement from the one-roomed house the farmer had offered them. The front door opened into a decent sized living space that connected to the kitchen at the back of the house, the walls occupied by a few doors leading off to the bathroom, a storage closet, and the house's two bedrooms.

Layla had apologized excessively to her children about them having to share a room again after years of bedding separately since puberty, and Lucy consistently reassured her that neither of them minded too much. She'd reminded her mother that at least they had their own bedroom in this house as opposed to the last, where they would've all been forced to sleep on the floor, packed in like sardines.

The Zentopia apostles had stayed to help the family move in to their new abode, and while Lucy had still done her part in helping to move the boxes, she'd also spent a fair portion of time just staring at their three helpers. The way they carried and conducted themselves while laboring had felt off again, their demeanors far too pleasant and without complaint for the blonde to believe they were being genuine.

After the last box had found its place within the modest house, they'd all taken a break, Layla amiably offering her guests tea and coffee.

Lucy had zoned out as soon as she'd sat down next to Sting, the whole situation of them receiving the house so quickly and completely free of charge still seeming far too surreal for her to focus on processing much else.

She finally snapped out of her daze when Ultear suddenly stood with the two men following her lead, the blonde catching the very end of the conversation between her parents and the apostles, "I'm afraid it's time for us to get going."

Her mother stood as well, her tone apologetic, "Already? We've barely done anything for you in return. Please, stay for lunch."

Ultear's red, painted lips pulled tight in a smile, "That's okay. We have some volunteer work to do today, and we mustn't put it off any longer."

"Volunteer work?" Layla repeated, obviously intrigued by the topic.

"Yes, it's a campaign to help the homeless," the dark haired apostle informed them modestly, her hands humbly clasped in front of herself. Her gaze slowly shifted to the twins, her grin never fading, "It'd be nice if our young friends helped us out. People must learn to do service early so that they can spend their whole lives making the world a better place."

Jude immediately perked up at the idea, "Oh, why don't you take Sting and Lucy with you? It'll be our form of recompense for all you've done for us."

Lucy felt Sting tense up next to her, her own body reacting in a similar way to the idea of accompanying the three apostles on their outing. The concept was exacerbated by the fact that they'd be going to help promote a movement of the church, an organization which she had no intent of linking herself to. She sought for an out, for both her brother's sake and her own, quietly protesting, "But, dad…we still haven't finished unpacking."

Her father didn't pick up on her reluctance to go, giving her a pleasant grin, "They've helped us so much, dear. We want to do something for them, too. Your mother and I will unpack the rest, alright?"

Lucy clenched her jaw at his obliviousness to her unspoken plead, her dread deepening as her lack of escape became more apparent.

"What a relief," Ultear remarked pleasantly. "One of our dear brethren who was going to help us today is sick, so we wondering what we could do to fill his place." She looked to the twins, her lips still pulled tight in an amiable grin, "Are you two really okay with coming along?"

The blonde girl swallowed heavily as she turned her gaze to Sting, silently pleading for him to take up the task of getting them out of going since her protests hadn't had any effect. Normally, she was the one encouraging him to never let his disabled leg stop him from living life, but for once, she hoped he'd use it as an out, knowing that if he brought it up, her parents wouldn't be able to refuse.

But despite her silent cries, Sting nervously remained silent, and their lack of objection was taken as a form conformation, the two quickly ushered into the apostles' car and sent on their way.

* * *

Lucy let out a deep sigh as Ultear slid the door of the Zentopia van open, her fingers anxiously fiddling with the light blue sash the dark haired apostle had placed over her shoulders. It read 'Zentopia: Salvation and Eternal Life' in red lettering, the saying flanked on both sides by the church's symbol, a winged cloud beneath a cross.

Once she had exited the car, Ultear turned around to face the twins with whom she'd shared the back seat of the van, "All you have to do is pass out these flyers."

She held out the aforementioned stack of papers, and Lucy swallowed heavily as she reluctantly took them from her hands. 'Zentopia's Clothing Donation of Hope' was written in large lettering across the top, and as she read over it, the blonde quietly decided that she might be able to make it through these next few hours with the three apostles after all. Even if she had to endure their company, she figured she'd push through knowing that at the very least, it was for a good cause.

From where he was still situated in the passenger seat, Zancrow spoke his first words to her, the combination of his tone and his words sending shivers down her spine, "Because Lucy is so pretty, I think we'll have people fighting over your flyers. I envy you, Sting, for having such a _lovely_ sister."

The blonde clenched her jaw, and she felt Sting tense up next to her. She was sure that if her twin had heard such a thing in the months prior to his incident, he would've issued the man a threat. But in his current, much more self-conscious state, he wasn't able to anything more than offer him the smallest of glares.

Lucy was surprised when she looked over to find that Ultear seemed to be rather upset at Zancrow's comment as well, her lips clenched tightly together, "The Almighty doesn't judge people by their looks, but by their hearts."

Zancrow's lips quirked at the corner, "Well, of course. I'm sure her heart reflects the perfection and purity of her appearance."

The blonde hurriedly exited the car after that without another word, breathing heavily through her nose to calm her nerves as she got as far away from the man as possible. She kept telling herself that if she didn't cause any problems and just did what they wanted, then she wouldn't have to see the three apostles, nor their unnerving preacher, ever again after the day ended.

With that mindset, she focused on her task, finding herself rather surprised at how many people actually accepted her and Sting's flyers. Her brother had been given a sash that matched her own, and another stack of more handouts. She didn't miss the way his hands shook as he hesitantly held them out to those passing by, and when someone happened to take it from his grasp, he never made eye contact, his small whisper of gratitude his only response.

The blonde was sure that their surprising number of takers was due, in part, to the fact that the three apostles had busied themselves with handing out favors, whether it be bottles of their so-called 'living water' accompanied by tea packets or even small items of food. Lucy couldn't help but wonder how they attained the money to purchase such items in bulk considering they'd proclaimed themselves a church run solely upon the donations of their members.

She didn't think much on the matter though, her focus drawn back to Sting as he limped to Ultear, his voice barely audible to her ears as he quietly informed the dark haired apostle, "I…I need to use the restroom."

Ultear took his flyers from his hands with a grin on her features, gesturing to the public library they'd set up in front of, "Oh, there's one just inside this building here."

Lucy nervously watched her twin as he limped away, her eyes alight with concern. Ever since his accident, she always worried about him whenever he went off on his own. It wasn't like she didn't trust his ability to look after himself with something as simple as using the restroom, but this town was foreign and full of strangers. She already didn't trust the few people that they had met in Magnolia, and if the members of Zentopia were any indication as to what the rest of the residents were like, she wasn't eager to meet anyone else from the isolated country town.

* * *

"Why the hell did you follow us in here?"

Sting hurriedly tucked himself back into his boxers and zipped up his pants as the doors to the bathroom banged open, startled at the sharp voice that suddenly echoed between the tiled walls of the room.

"The girl's bathroom was full!"

He froze at the exclamation, the new voice obviously belonging to a female.

The blond swallowed heavily as the group rounded the corner in front of him, their edgy and rather unnatural appearances setting him on edge. There were three males and one girl, the pale boy at the head of the group by far the most unsettling. His unruly black hair was dyed white at the base of his neck, his uncaring red eyes lined with the same black that coated his lips. At his right was a boy with a unique shade of maroon hair, and on his left, a blond wearing shades. The girl brought up the end of the group, her brown eyes squinting and her arms folded across her chest in annoyance.

Sting's eyes widened as he caught sight of her, not because she was a female in a place where females were strictly prohibited, but because she bore an uncanny resemblance to _her._ The pure white hair and the soft brown eyes were so familiar that for a second, he let himself get his hopes up that she was who he wanted her to be.

But he snapped back to reality in an instant, mentally chastising himself, _'It can't be her_ … _because she's…Yukino is…'_

He forced the thought away before he could finish it.

Despite the fact that they were walking directly towards him, Sting still tried to sneak past without drawing their attention, sticking as close to the stalls as he could and hunching into himself.

And it at first, it seemed to work, the black haired boy strutting forward without sparing him a single glance. But the boy's lack of acknowledgement of the other person in the room caused their shoulders to roughly collide in passing, a whisper of an apology immediately slipping from the blond's mouth.

Sting tried to continue limping onwards, but his hopes of escaping were dashed and his blood froze as a hand viciously clenched around his shoulder, his back roughly colliding with the stalls behind him a flash. He cowered into himself and dutifully kept his gaze trained on the floor as the group of surrounded him, the black haired boy ruthlessly snarling into his face, "You should apologize sincerely when you run into someone like that."

"I…I d-didn't mean to…I'm sorry," Sting tried to be talk louder and clearer, but the words still tumbled from his mouth in a stutter.

The boy with the maroon hair yanked on the sash around the blond's chest, his brows quirking in amusement as his eyes skimmed over the red lettering, "'Salvation and Eternal Life?' What kind of bullshit is that?"

"I was just…I was just helping out," Sting quietly mumbled, his voice turning into more of a squeak in his nervousness.

The boy with the shades chuckled cruelly, "Why does he sound like a girl?"

With a single look from the black haired boy, they all gathered closer around, sending the terrified blond cowering further back into the wall of the stall.

Sting's eyes widened in fear as the boy with the red eyes grabbed his belt buckle, his black, painted lips morphing into a ruthless sneer, "Let's see then, shall we?"

"Stop…stop it!" he weakly struggled against the two other boys as they grabbed his arms and pulled his hands away from where they'd been desperately fighting to keep his pants up, crushing his wrists in their bruising grips as they slammed his hands against the stall.

His gaze hopelessly turned to where the walls of the bathroom came to a corner, thinking of the door that rested just beyond the bend. He knew that it was open, and so he desperately prayed for someone, _anyone_ to hear his cries. He mentally pleaded for his sister to come, even though he didn't want her to see him in such a situation. She'd always had a knack for sensing his emotions without him having to say a word, though he wasn't sure if the fact that they were twins had anything to do with their mental connection.

The black haired boy followed his desperate gaze, chuckling cruelly to himself as he commanded the girl, "Sorano. Lock the door."

Sting's belt was tossed aside, clattering to the tiled floor in sync with the clicking of the lock on the door.

* * *

Lucy anxiously bit her lip as she stared at the doors Sting had disappeared through. He'd been gone for ten minutes, and she was about ready to charge through the library after him to make sure he was okay, whether he was still in the men's room or not.

The favors and flyers they'd been handing out to passerby were gone, and with nothing more to give, the three apostles had packed up their van and prepared to leave. They were all waiting on her brother, and with one glance back at them, Lucy could tell they were starting to get annoyed.

The blonde lifted the sash from around her shoulders and folded it in her hands, glad to finally be done with advertising for a church she had no support for herself. Her fingers anxiously played with the fabric, her lip still caught between her teeth as her worry for her brother steadily grew.

Her gaze was drawn upward when she felt someone's presence approaching, and her eyes widened when she caught sight of her twin limping towards her in somewhat of a daze. His eyes looked dead, fear and something akin to loss more prominent in his irises than ever before. She could see that something was seriously wrong, her unspoken connection with him flaring to life at the pain he radiated, "Sting…what happened?"

He didn't even raise his gaze to hers, only continuing to limp past her and towards the van, where the three apostles were waiting for them, "I…I'm fine…"

Ultear perked up from where she'd been leaning against the side of the car when she caught sight of him, misinterpreting his lifeless eyes, "Oh, Sting, you must've been tired! Let's hurry and get you home, alright?"

Lucy stared after him as he hurriedly clambered into the car, knowing that his current state was attributed to far more than just exhaustion. Something must've happened in those ten minutes he'd been away, and she was determined to find out what, refusing to let her brother carry the burden alone.

* * *

After the three apostles took them back to their new home, Ultear had profusely apologized to the twins about not being able to buy them dinner in thanks for the work they'd done on behalf of the church that day. But Lucy knew that if they had ended up offering them dinner, she would've refused anyways, probably using the excuse of wanting to eat with her parents after being apart from them since morning.

After they'd given their pleasant goodbyes and driven away, Sting turned to limp back to the house without a word, his pace much faster than usual.

Lucy clasped onto his shoulder and forced him to face her before he could get far, not missing the way he flinched slightly at the action. As she saw fear flash across his eyes, her grasp loosened, sliding down to rest on his bicep, "Sting…something happened earlier, right?"

He nervously shifted his eyes between her and the ground, his voice barely above a whisper, "No…nothing happened."

"Stop lying to me," she pressed.

He let out a sigh through his nose before lightly placing his hand on top of the one she still had placed on his bicep, "Lucy…mom and dad are going through a lot right now. We shouldn't make things worse by bringing in our own problems." He finally looked her in the eye, the rest of his unspoken message conveyed through his gaze alone as he quietly, desperately pleaded under his breath, "Please. Let it go."

She swallowed heavily as she caught his meaning, knowing that he wanted to keep whatever had happened to himself because he didn't want her to have to feel any more worry and sorrow at his expense. She saw traces of shame in his gaze too, his irises shaking and pleading with her to give in.

Whatever had happened must've been bad, and although there was a part of her that desperately needed to know so she could seek revenge on those who had sent her brother into such a state, she didn't want to be the cause for anymore of his pain.

"Okay," she softly caved, reluctantly letting her hand slip from his arm as he left, her eyes pained as she watched him limp away.

* * *

 **AN**

 **Yeah, not much Natsu and Gray in this chapter, but they'll be in the next a lot more! We did get to learn a little more about each of them and their pasts and families though, and there's still plenty more to be revealed later.**

 **And we got to meet a few new characters! Our main villains have finally been introduced and they seem to have taken an interest in the Heartfilias! Again, I apologize for how OOC they are, especially Hades and Midnight as the story progresses, but I did try to place FT characters in the role I felt they'd fit best. Also, I will be referring to a lot of the villains by their real names as opposed to the ones most people know them by, so Hades will be Precht, Midnight will be Macbeth, Cobra will be Eric, etc.**

 **I wasn't quite sure how to introduce Sting's permanent injury to his leg, so I hope that it wasn't too sudden. We'll learn more about this 'incident' that keeps getting mentioned later, and it'll help explain why Sting is the way he is in this fic, both mentally and physically.**

 **We'll learn plenty more about Wendy later too, and the details about what happened to her to put her in such a state.**

 **I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please leave a review to let me know your thoughts! I'm glad to know that this story already has some intrigue, and I hope it grows even more interesting to you all!**

 **Hint for next chapter: The weekend is over, and that means Lucy and Sting will have to go to their new school on Monday…and maybe see some familiar faces…**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3: Saved by the Bell

**Chapter Three**

 **Saved by the Bell**

"Everyone, take your seats."

Natsu glanced up as his homeroom teacher entered the classroom, his eyes wide as he did a double take of the blonde following behind Mr. Clive, wearing their school uniform. He kept his focus on the girl as he blindly whapped at the raven haired boy who had his head on the desk next to his, excitedly whisper screaming, "Gray! Gray! Isn't this fate?"

The raven haired boy groaned as he lifted his head to follow Natsu's gaze, all grumpiness disappearing from his features as he straightened himself in his seat upon seeing the girl who had caught his interest Friday night. There was just something about her that intrigued him, though he lacked the eloquence to put the feeling into words.

Gildarts had a soft grin on his features as he walked to his podium at the front of the room, the quiet blonde following behind him with her eyes trained on the floor, "Everyone, be quiet." He nodded his head towards the girl, "She'll feel awkward since she came all the way from Crocus, so I want you all to be extra nice to her. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," several of the students eagerly responded, one salmon haired boy in particular sounding more excited than the rest.

The teacher turned his gaze to the blonde, still smiling warmly as he gestured towards the class with a nod of his head, "Go ahead. Introduce yourself to your friends."

She swallowed heavily and quickly swiped her tongue across her lips nervously, finally lifting her gaze from the floor, "I'm Lucy Heartfilia."

Natsu's lips quirked as he heard her light voice, glad to finally have a name to attach to the girl that had been running through his head on and off since he'd first caught sight of her Friday night. He wasn't normally one to obsess over girls; having to constantly hear Loke rambling on about them and his endeavors with them in excruciating detail had somewhat decreased his interest in dating and the like, at least for the time being. But something about the blonde had made her unforgettable, and it was something more than just her golden hair and pale, perfect features. Her chocolate brown eyes held fire and passion unlike any he'd ever seen before, but for whatever reason, she was holding it all inside, the rest of her features perfectly controlled and meticulously set in an expression that held none of the deviance and yearning for adventure that he saw in her irises.

He was roughly snapped out of his daydreaming and appreciation for the blonde's appearance as Gildarts called his name, eagerly shooting to his feet at the chance to have something to do with Lucy, "Yes sir."

The teacher looked towards the girl, smiling warmly, "You see that empty seat next to him? That's yours."

As the blonde quietly nodded and walked through the aisle in between the desks with her eyes still trained on the floor, Natsu smiled smugly to himself, happily overhearing a few envious whispers of jealousy shot his way from boys calling him lucky. He looked over his shoulder at Gray to smirk at him victoriously, knowing that his rival had taken interest in her as well. But the raven haired boy didn't even glance at him, his dark blue irises still trained on the blonde as she took her seat.

"Now, where'd we leave off yesterday?"

Natsu unintentionally tuned out Gildarts' voice as he glanced over at the blonde, hoping to catch her gaze and give her a warm grin. But her focus remained dutifully trained on their teacher as he wrote something on the board, and he smiled smugly to himself once again when he thought about how she wasn't just pretty, but smart, too.

* * *

Sting nervously licked his lips, the only thing on his mind the four pairs of eyes he could feel boring into his back from behind.

They were in his class. The four who had assaulted him.

They looked even more unnatural in their school uniforms, their hair and makeup still wild and heavily contrasting the neatness of their clothes, which barely managed to pass dress code, he was sure.

He was lost on how his life only managed to grow worse with each passing moment; on how out of all the senior classes in the school, he'd somehow managed to be placed in the same one as the four who had haunted his every moment since that day in the library bathroom.

A crumpled paper suddenly landed on top of the open book on his desk, flying over his left shoulder from the desk diagonally behind his, the spot where he'd seen the black haired boy sitting.

He swallowed heavily as he smoothed out the note with trembling hands, his lips pressing tightly together as he read over its message.

' _Have you been well?'_

The writing was accompanied by crude drawings of male genitals, and as Sting crumbled it in his shaking hands, he heard their snickers carrying through the air from behind him, taking him back to when they had surrounded him, his hands pinned to his sides and unable to do anything as his pants were torn from his body.

* * *

At the coach's whistle, the huddle of students broke off into groups of two, each pair carrying one volleyball as they scattered themselves across the dirt field.

Natsu's body turned to the side as he caught the ball Gray served to him, his angle allowing him to catch sight of Lucy as she wandered off on her own, lacking both a partner and a volleyball. Her hands were nervously fiddling with her gym shorts as she tried to sneak away, her eyes downcast in an attempt to better her chances of avoiding detection.

The salmon haired boy tossed Gray a glance before he jogged off towards her with smug grin on his face, the volleyball tucked safely under one of his arms.

Her frame tensed when he suddenly stumbled to a stop in front of her, her chocolate brown eyes slowly traveling up from his feet to his face.

"Yo!" Natsu gave her a warm smile, gesturing with his free hand between himself and Gray, who was still standing back where Natsu had left him, his hands tucked into his pockets and his face completely blank as he silently watched the exchange from afar. "You remember us, right? We're the ones who helped you out Friday night, when it was raining really hard."

She nodded her head softly, her answer escaping her a quiet, breathy whisper, "Yeah…"

The salmon haired boy gave her his signature bright grin, taking a page from Loke's book about how to pick up girls as he held out his hand in accompaniment to his introduction, "It's nice to officially meet you, Lucy. I'm the handsomest man in all of Magnolia, Natsu Dragneel."

She simply stared down at his outstretched hand, her only reaction being a small, uncomfortable step backwards.

Natsu forced himself to ignore his rival's snickers, awkwardly withdrawing his hand and making a mental note to pound Loke for lying about how that line made every girl swoon, "Oh…okay." He glanced over his shoulder, pointing to the raven haired boy behind him, "And that idiot's Gray Fullbuster."

The raven haired boy shifted on his feet at the insult, but he didn't make any move to attack the boy like he normally would, his gaze simply turning back to Lucy as if to see her response to his name.

But her gaze was fastened to the salmon haired boy's face, obviously trying to end the conversation as fast as possible, "So what is it that you wanted to say?"

Natsu pursed his lips, nonchalantly tossing the volleyball between his hands, "Wanna play with us?"

"What?" she asked flatly after a moment of silence, squinting up at him in the light of the sun.

He quirked a brow at her bluntness, a mischievous smirk playing across his features as he playfully taunted, "Do Crocus girls know how to play volleyball?"

Lucy momentarily glanced down at the ball in his hands, and he swore he saw her lips quirk in the tiniest of grins as she stared at it. Her lips were pressed back into a thin line as she reconnected their gazes however, crushing his hopes of seeing her smile. But her eyes were alight with a new emotion that he'd yet to see in them: determination.

She wordlessly took the ball from his hands and he scurried back towards Gray in excitement, the raven haired boy quirking a brow at his silly grin.

Natsu really didn't expect too much from the blonde, not slating her as the athletic type based on her smaller, softer build.

He should have known not to judge someone by their looks alone.

The salmon haired boy let out an undignified, pained squawk as she spiked the ball into his shin, hunching forward to clutch at the abused area. It happened three more times, Natsu fruitlessly trying to dive out of the way of the ball only to hurt himself worse by throwing his body around, her spikes giving the ball too great of a speed to dodge.

"Gray," Natsu suddenly huffed out in pain. "It's your turn."

The raven haired boy startled from the trance he'd fallen into as he watched Lucy spike the ball, a strange mixture of awe and terror on his face as he stared at the blonde.

He hesitantly stepped forward, giving Natsu a wide, fearful look that promised revenge later as he clasped his hands in front of him in the appropriate stance, just like their gym teacher had demonstrated.

Lucy didn't bat an eyelash as her target changed, throwing the ball up into the air before hitting it with her palm to send it flying towards Gray.

The raven haired boy flinched at the last second, cowering backwards a fraction and tipping himself off balance, completely tumbling over his feet as the ball struck his hip.

The three earned a few spectators as he landed in the dirt, snickers and giggles filling the air.

Gray ignored the stinging throb at his hip and hurriedly shot to feet, dusting off his gym clothes and clearing his throat awkwardly.

Natsu's mouth was slightly agape as he stared at the blonde, "Wow…Crocus girls are scary."

She looked to the salmon haired boy before throwing the ball up in the air again.

Natsu briefly wondered how she'd gotten the ball back so quick, but he panicked as soon as it left her grasp, his hands shooting in front of himself in protection as he hurriedly blurted out, "Hey! No, no, no, stop it! That's enough!"

The ball landed back in her hands harmlessly, her gaze dropping to the dirt beneath her feet as she let out a single breathy laugh, her lips quirking in the smallest of smiles.

Natsu grinned, a low whistle slipping through his lips, "Wow…so she does know how to smile after all."

The corners of her lips immediately fell as she heard the comment.

The salmon haired boy took a small step closer to Gray, whispering out of the side of his mouth, "Frosty…did you see her smile?"

Gray had a small smirk on his own features, his hands once more tucked into his pockets as he stared at the blonde.

Natsu let out a content sigh, remarking in admiration, "She can be pretty scary…but I guess she's kind of cute when she smiles."

Lucy overheard him again, throwing the ball into the air in preparation.

The salmon haired boy scrambled, "Hey, hey, hey, hey!"

* * *

Lucy huffed out a heavy breath as she washed her hands in the sink on the edge of the field, looking up from her task when a tan hand suddenly set a water bottle behind the faucet.

The hand's owner leaned against the wall next to the sink, simultaneously clearing their throat, "It's for you."

She glanced over at Natsu as he folded his arms over his chest, a smug smile on his face and his eyes trained on the floor as if in humble embarrassment.

Lucy turned the water off, shaking her hands in a meager attempt at drying them before she gestured to his gift, "Why?"

The salmon haired boy scratched at the back of his head as he shifted his gaze between her and the bottle, "It's just…It must've been tiring to spike that ball over and over with your small hands."

She swallowed as she decided to just let her walls down for a second and tell him, a lightness to her voice as she explained, "I was on the volleyball team at my old school with these hands."

He glanced down at them, sighing to himself as he nodded in understanding, his gaze dropping to the floor as he grumbled out, "Makes sense." He was sure he'd have bruises from how hard the ball had smacked against him.

Lucy quirked a brow as she glanced back at the bottle once more, the rest of her expression still completely and perfectly composed as she quipped, "It must've been tiring to get by the ball over and over, so why don't you drink it instead?"

Natsu stared after her in stunned silence as she started back towards the school, previously not expecting the quiet Crocus girl to have that much fire. But a devious grin was quickly replacing his surprised expression, his interest in the girl increasing even more at her sass.

"Hey, I was just going easy on ya 'cause it's your first day here! I totally _let_ you hit me!" He huffed out a breath when she didn't acknowledge his cry, snatching the water bottle from the sink before chasing after her.

Lucy spun around just he caught up to her, her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she examined his face, "Why are you doing this? Do you feel sorry for me because I just transferred here and I'm on my own?"

Natsu pursed his lips, "Do I need reason to want to be friends with you? Did you need a reason to become friends in Crocus or something?"

Her gaze fell to the ground at the mention of 'friends' and 'Crocus' in the same sentence, three faces appearing vividly in her mind at the combination. She forced the thought of her and Sting's old friends away before it could do more than cause her throat to tighten, the image of them always bringing tears to her eyes.

"Thanks, but…I don't think I'm ready for friends just yet." She spun around so that he didn't have to see the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks, quietly breathing out, "Later."

Natsu quirked a brow as he watched her walk away, her hands clenched into fists at her sides and her gaze trained the ground. She seemed like she was holding herself back again, shoving her own desires aside for the sake of playing it safe and keeping to herself.

He couldn't help but wonder what she'd been through to make her so reserved, but her restraint only made him more determined to see what parts of herself she was keeping locked away.

* * *

Sting quietly took a seat on the very edge of one of the cafeteria tables, placing his backpack in the seat next to him to save it for his sister. He hurriedly tore open his silverware packet and took a small scoop of his mashed potatoes with the spoon, desperately needing something to distract his mind with until she arrived.

Unlike their father had said, this certainly wasn't the new, fresh start Sting had been promised. If anything, the bullying and haunting memories had only increased in quantity. He hadn't been able to focus on the teacher all period, his mind trapped in horrid flashbacks of his assault.

He paused after only one bite of his food, his brows furrowing in confusion when he caught sight of the three girls at the end of the table hurriedly grab their trays and leave.

But his focus was immediately dropping back to his tray of food when he saw the reason, four more students snickering as they joined him at the table.

An arm was suddenly slung around his shoulder, spiky blond hair and a sharp jawline appearing in his peripherals. He now knew the boy as Sawyer because of the nametag on his uniform, the blond keeping an arm over his shoulders as shoved Sting's backpack off of the seat at his right and plopped himself into it, "Let's eat together, my friend."

The other three placed themselves in a circle around Sting, Eric crouching at the end of the table while Macbeth and Sorano sat across from him.

The blond nervously swallowed, holding completely still and avoiding eye contact in a desperate attempt to get them to leave. Some small part of him gave him the hope that if he just ignored them and refused to give them the reactions they wanted, they'd just go away. It was a nearly hopeless plan, but it was the only one he had. With his leg in the condition it was, he had no chance of running, and he knew there was no way in hell he'd be able to take on all four of them.

Eric reached across the table, overly fake affection in his voice as he snatched the boy's spoon, "It won't taste good if you eat it like this." He scooped all of the food on the tray into the center, stirring the contents together in a repulsive, slimy lump, "It'll taste better if you mix everything together." He smirked cruelly, leaning forward over the tray, "And here's the finale." He pursed his lips, a big glob of spit dripping from his mouth and onto the horrid mixture, "Now, this is what you call dog food. Perfect for someone like you." He slammed the spoon down next to Sting's idle right hand, "Now, eat."

The blond anxiously licked his lips, his brows furrowing in revulsion as he stared at the gruesome sight that used to be his lunch, "I…"

Macbeth stretched from his seat to grab Sting's ear, roughly yanking on it and sub sequentially jostling his head around, growing angrier the longer he sat idle, "Hurry and eat."

He continued to tensely sit still, his eyes nervously quivering in fear as he stared at his tray.

At his lack of reaction, their anger grew. Sawyer roughly shoved him from his right, Eric simultaneously swiveling around to his back to dig his fingers into his shoulders. He used his merciless grip to throw the blond to the ground, Sting barely catching himself with his hands.

At the commotion, everyone else in the cafeteria stood, abandoning their trays to make way for the fight, none of them brave enough to stand against the four who were tormenting the crippled blonde.

Macbeth sneered as he dumped the disgusting mix of food onto Sting's head, some of it clinging to his blond tufts while the rest spilled across the floor as he demanded, "Eat." When the boy on the ground didn't even flinch, he crouched down and fisted his hand in the blond's hair, yanking his head down towards the spilled meal, "I said eat!" He made of point of shoving the boy's head backwards as he withdrew his hand, seething as he pulled back.

Sting's throat tightened uncomfortably as tears stung the back of his eyes, his mindset shifting and making him believe that if he did what they wanted, they'd finally leave him alone. He knew he was pathetic, but there was no way he could bring himself to be anything else in this moment.

Chuckles filled the air above him as he slowly leaned forward, his mouth only inches from the food on the floor.

Sting flinched back at the sound of something slamming into the back of the boy who was still crouched in front of him. He nervously glanced up to see milk pouring over the black haired boy's shoulders, a now empty, completely broken-open milk cartoon tumbling to the floor behind him.

Macbeth shot to his full height, whipping around as he screamed, "Who the hell threw that?!"

The black haired boy spun to find the culprit, Sting catching sight of the offender as the Macbeth stepped out of his line of sight.

It was Lucy.

He dropped his gaze back to the floor before she could make eye contact with him, an overwhelming sense of worthlessness piling onto his shoulders as he realized how much stronger than him she was. He couldn't do a thing to hold his own against these four, yet his sister was standing tall before them, not an ounce of fear in her expression as she squared her shoulders.

Her features were etched in restrained fury, her voice relatively calm, but firm enough to get her underlying threat across, "Apologize to him. Now."

"Who are you?" Macbeth snarled. "His little girlfriend?"

Lucy's expression didn't flinch at his jibing tone, still speaking evenly, "If you don't apologize right now, I'll report you to the police."

Eric chuckled as he looked between the two blondes, particularly their nametags, "Ah, I get it. She's his sister."

"Sister?" the black haired boy ground out.

"I heard he had a twin. It must be her."

"That so?" Macbeth sneered, stepping closer to the girl as he lifted his shoulders to gesture to his milk-soaked jacket, "You owe me money to get this dry cleaned, bitch."

"You guys harassed him first," a trace of her anger finally slipped into her voice, her hands tensing into fists at her sides.

"Do you have any proof?" He quirked an amused brow as he turned around, projecting his voice outwards for all of the students gathered on the edges of the cafeteria to hear, an underlying threat in his voice as he shouted, "If any of you saw me harassing this idiot, come forward."

' _Why aren't they saying anything?! Why the hell has no one gone to get a teacher?!'_ Lucy spun around as they all dropped their gazes to the floor or turned their faces away entirely, her chest tightening and voice rising in desperation, "Say something, you cowards! All of you saw it!"

Macbeth and his friends chuckled at her helplessness when no one made a peep, the black haired boy pointing towards her as he remarked, "This chick's fun." He closed the rest of the distance between them with his hands in his pockets, leaning over her as he asked in a suggestive tone, "Hey, you wanna be my girlfriend? I'll make you feel _real_ good and I might even let you-"

The rest of his lewd suggestion was cut off as her fist buried itself in his left cheek, his unprepared frame stumbling sideways and into a table from the force of her heated punch.

As his friends went to his aid, Lucy shot past them to get to her brother, who was still helplessly collapsed on the floor. She ignored the ache in the knuckles of her right hand as she cupped Sting's cheeks to raise his head, her anger blazing stronger as she saw the tears in his eyes. Her fingers quickly moved to hurriedly scrape the disgusting mix of food out of his hair, forcing herself to momentarily ignore the fact that he wouldn't meet her gaze. Scolding him wasn't what she needed to worry about right now.

Fingers rapidly threaded through her own hair from behind, the calloused and rough appendages mercilessly clamping down on her golden strands and yanking her backwards and upwards. A small shriek tore from her throat as she was forced to face her attacker, her hands desperately grabbing onto his wrist as her scalp thrummed with pain.

The boy with the maroon hair jerked even harder on her hair, sneering in her face, "Are you fucking insane, bitch?!"

She dug her finger nails into his wrist in an attempt to force his fingers out of her hair, but he quickly released her strands on his own, his other hand finding purchase in the collar of her school uniform as his fingers slid out of her hair and tightened into a fist.

As he used his left hand to yank her closer, his other fist poised to punch, Lucy clutched onto his left wrist with both of her hands and ducked her head to the side in fear. Her eyes clenched shut as she prepared for the blow, knowing she had absolutely no chance of escaping his strong hold with only the balls of her feet still upon the floor.

"Hey!"

Her eyes slid open at the furious shout, a spark of hope alighting in her heart at the new voice. Her eyes widened as she found the source, her mouth dropping open a fraction at the sight of a familiar salmon haired boy running across the tops of the cafeteria tables to reach them in the quickest way possible.

Eric's grasp loosened in surprise, and Lucy took advantage of his shock, yanking herself out of his grip without any regard for how she'd most likely fall to her butt without him holding her up. She stumbled backwards and prepared to catch herself, but a pair of firm hands clasped onto her shoulders before she could fall to the ground, her back coming into contact with a muscled chest.

She whipped her head around, prepared to launch an attack if the hands on her shoulders belonged to one of Macbeth's friends. But she froze when she made eye contact with a pair of dark blue irises, her eyes widening in recognition.

It was the raven haired boy again, the one she'd dubbed her 'kindred spirit' in the rain on the night her family moved to Magnolia.

Her gaze snapped back to Natsu as he let out something akin to the battle cry upon launching himself off of the nearest table, his foot landing in the center of Eric's chest and sending him flying backwards into a row of chairs.

Lucy had immediately recognized both of the boys when she'd first lifted her gaze from the floor upon introducing herself earlier, but she had opted for ignoring their strange connection to her for the sake of keeping to herself, not wanting to allow herself to form relationships with others so easily like she used to. But after what had happened during gym and now that they'd come to her aid, she knew it'd be nearly impossible to ignore them if they chose to seek her out again, their good deeds for her and her family making it harder for her to stop herself from feeling like she could trust them.

She couldn't help but wonder where the other two of their little gang were since she'd assumed they were the type of friends that were always together, her thoughts turning to whether or not the bespectacled red head and the muscled tan boy even went to this school.

Gray pushed the blonde behind him as he went to stand beside his friend, both of them forming a protective blockade in front of the twins. Lucy crouched down next to Sting to continue scraping the food from his hair, her gaze jumping between her brother and the two that had saved them.

Eric snarled as he lunged forward to attack again, flinching backwards a bit when the raven haired boy roughly kicked a nearby chair in a threat, his voice rough and low, "If you come any closer, I'll beat you to a pulp."

Macbeth finally came forward once more, his left cheek red and beginning to swell as he sneered, "Do you know who you're dealing with here?" He spoke those words like his identity alone should be enough to scare them both off, his hands confidently tucked into his pockets, "I have the strongest fist in the entire school."

Gray chuckled, his own hands tucked into his pockets as well, though unlike with Macbeth, his carefree pose seemed natural instead of faked, "Oh, is that so?"

Natsu quirked a brow in amusement, "You do?"

The black haired boy yanked the milk-stained jacket of his uniform off as if in preparation for a fight, his red eyes alight with irritation as he tossed the soaked clothing to Sawyer, "Are you guys really so stupid? Then shall we have a showdown?"

Eric's eyes widened a fraction as he caught sight of the name tag on the salmon haired boy's school uniform, lunging forward to hold Macbeth back as he charged forward, "Let's just go."

The black haired boy tried to shake him off, his angry crimson gaze turning to him, "What the hell are you talking about? I'm gonna teach them a serious lesson. You think I can't take them or something?"

"It's not that," Eric ground out. He nodded his head towards the salmon haired boy, "He's Natsu Dragneel."

Macbeth furiously quirked a brow, "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

Before the maroon haired boy could answer, the cafeteria was filled with the sound of chimes.

Macbeth finally managed to shake out of his friend's hold, but instead of charging forward, he simply pulled back, straightening out the wrinkles in his shirt as he glared at the two boys who had dared to oppose him. "The bell saved your lives today," he furiously ground out. "I'll see you both soon, you got that?"

Gray quirked a brow as he watched Macbeth and his friends leave the cafeteria, heatedly arguing amongst themselves, "What the hell was his problem?"

Natsu shrugged, letting out a heavy sigh, "Who knows."

They turned back to the twins, finding them both standing now, Lucy with her arms wrapped around her brother's shoulders to keep him on his feet.

The salmon haired boy quirked a brow as he looked over Sting's pale face, the blond looking like he was about to pass out at any second, "You guys alright?"

"Yes," Lucy answered simply, obviously trying to end the conversation quickly so she and her brother could leave.

"Those jerks will probably try to bother you guys again," Natsu warned. "You should tell someone about them."

Lucy pressed her lips into a grim line, "Thanks for your help today, but we'll figure out what to do."

Without another word, the blonde dragged Sting away, the boy hurriedly limping to keep up with her fast pace.

Natsu quirked a brow at their eagerness to leave, glancing back at his rival to see his reaction. But the raven haired boy was still staring after the pair, his expression void of any readable emotion.

* * *

"Watch this!"

"Just shoot already! Be a man and accept your inevitable defeat!"

Gray chuckled as he approached the school's noisy basketball court, catching sight of the two who completed their group of four. Loke was obviously trying to show off, blatantly cheating and taking way too many steps with the ball in his hands in a fruitless attempt to get around Elfman's towering form and to the basketball hoop.

The school day was over, and Gray couldn't have been more relieved. He didn't mind learning new things, and most of the people at school weren't overly annoyingly or bothersome, save for one salmon haired idiot. It was the fact that at school he was being _forced_ to learn that made him hate the place.

The raven haired boy left Natsu behind as he ran up to his other two friends, a smirk on face as he held up his hands, "Pass!"

Loke unskillfully chucked it to him, looking between Gray as he caught it and the salmon haired boy as he quirked a brow, "I heard you had a fight at lunch today."

Gray dribbled the ball a few times, grinning smugly, "It was hardly a fight. They ran away as soon as they saw Natsu's last name."

As the salmon haired boy finally caught up to their group, Loke bumped a fist into his chest, "I'm telling ya, you're different from lower-class people like us. I don't know why you stick around."

Although the orange haired boy's words were said in a joking manner, sometimes Gray couldn't help but wonder why Natsu stuck around when he could have been friends with anyone he wanted because of his brother's position as governor. Their encounter with the boys in the cafeteria was proof of the power of the last name Dragneel, and Gray knew that the name would have a similar effect over anyone who heard it uttered.

But that trail of thought always ended with the same conclusion, and the answer for why Natsu stuck around was as clear as day. The salmon haired boy was unceasingly loyal, and the friendship that had begun between the four of them on the first day of kindergarten all those years ago had only grown stronger with time.

Natsu glanced at the basketball in Gray's hands, giving them all a regretful smile, "Sorry guys, but you'll have to play without me today. I'm leaving."

Loke caught his sleeve as he turned to go, his brows furrowed, "Where are you going? We can't play without you. You and Gray are always a team."

The two boys both cringed at the statement, even though it was entirely true. Something about the sentiment of such a saying, about the idea of them always being a team, irritated them both to no end.

Elfman grasped onto the orange haired playboy's shoulder to yank him off of Natsu, "If you're gonna be so oblivious, at least have some sense not to get in the way." He shooed the salmon haired boy with a knowing look on his face, "Go on."

Natsu waved back over his shoulder as he continued on his way, "See you guys later."

Gray huffed out a heavy breath, looking at the ball in his hands. Loke had been right. He and Natsu were always a team, and playing without the salmon haired idiot wouldn't feel right. He tossed the ball to the orange haired playboy, uncaring as Loke had to scramble to catch it, "I'm leaving, too."

"You sick or something?" Loke called after him.

The raven haired boy didn't bother giving him an answer as he ran to catch up to his rival, tucking his hands into his pockets with a small smile on his face as he asked, "It's Wendy's birthday today, isn't it?"

The scuffing of their feet in the dirt below them was his only answer, Natsu's shoulders falling forward and a bitter smile spreading across his lips at the thought of his sister.

Gray whapped him on the shoulder, "Hey, stand tall. The pathetic and pitiful look doesn't suit you."

Natsu whapped him back for revenge, a joking grin replacing his solemn expression, " _You_ stand tall. You're the one that always slouches like a slob."

The raven haired boy punched his side one last time with a little more force, enough to send his rival stumbling forward a bit, "I told you first!"

They continued bumping and slamming shoulders as they walked on, insults flying and chuckles filling the air around them.

* * *

Lucy kept her focus worriedly trained on her brother as he limped out of the front gate beside her, his gaze never leaving the ground. He hadn't said a word to her after what happened in the cafeteria other than stopping her from going to tell somebody about the four bullies. He had gripped her arm harder than he ever had before and refused to let her leave, escaping back to his own classroom before she could do anything to stop him.

She had a hunch that today hadn't been his first encounter with Macbeth and his friends, and if so, she wondered if what had happened while he'd been in the bathroom yesterday had something to do with them.

"Lucy."

The blonde finally peeled her gaze from her brother, freezing her steps when she saw the source of the call of her name. Zancrow was standing there in front of the Zentopia van, seemingly waiting for her and her brother near the school's front gate.

The red eyed man's lips quirked in a poor excuse of smile, "Apostle Milkovich said she has something to give you. Do you have time to go to Zentopia?"

Lucy looked to Sting, figuring he'd want to go straight home after the day he'd had. But to her surprise, his eyes had lit up a fraction at the mention of the church, his head nodding softly in affirmation.

The blonde girl swallowed heavily, hesitant to get in the van for fear of seeing Precht again if she went with Zancrow. She really didn't mind Ultear too much, but the preacher and his other apostles were an entirely different story.

Despite her own desires, Sting had made it obvious he wanted to go, and she had no intent on making her brother feel worse by turning him down.

Zancrow grinned when she nodded her head, "Then let's go."

* * *

Natsu wrinkled his nose as the familiar scent of the hospital room stung his nostrils, his hands clasped around the edges of a cake box. No matter how many times he visited, which was nearly every day, he never got used to it, the unnatural smell of medication and sanitizers overpowering his sensitive nose.

He set the cake on the bedside table, right next to a bouquet of red and purple flowers that had a note with handwriting he easily recognized as Zeref's.

Wendy had been lifted out of her bed and placed into a wheelchair near the window, her eyes blankly staring out at the gardens that rested two stories below.

The salmon haired boy crouched down next to her and retrieved one of her hands from her lap to clasp it between his own, forcing himself to ignore the fact that her fingers were limp in his grasp. He anxiously licked his lips, trying to keep his sorrow and pain out of his voice as he lightly asked, "Wendy…please get up already. Do you know how long Zeref and I have been waiting for you?"

It was eerie to receive no response. Her eyes didn't shift in his direction, nor did her face so much as flinch.

She simply kept staring forward, completely unresponsive and unaware of the world around her.

* * *

"Please…please listen to my prayer…"

Sting didn't bother to hold back his tears any longer now that he was alone, seated on the ground near the stand of the Zentopia church's chapel. There were no benches in the room yet, the space instead still littered with boxes and construction materials even though the room was completely finished.

Similarly, the only light in the room came from the large red cross on the wall at the back of the stand, the thick, sheer, white curtains on the windows blocking out the majority of the sunlight that poured through the glass.

The blond had his hands clasped tightly together in front of his chest, his head bowed and his eyes squeezed tightly shut as he quivered out, "It's too hard. I can't hold on any longer. I just want-"

A hand suddenly, but rather gently came to rest on his shoulder, and he jolted in surprise, relaxing only a small portion when he turned over his shoulder to see Precht standing behind him.

Sting quickly swiped at his tears in a panic, misinterpreting the old man's pained expression as anger and hurrying to stand, "I…I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone else was here."

"That's alright. The Almighty's heart is always open," the preacher remarked softly, his hands clasped behind his back.

The blond boy pushed himself to his feet, quietly breathing out, "Then…I…I'll be going now…"

He paused in his escape as Precht softly called out his name, turning around to face the man once more, the red light of the cross catching in the tears still running down his cheeks in lines.

"If you could escape your pain, would you believe in the Almighty?"

The old preacher's tone made it seem like there was far more to his somewhat simple question, his voice hinting at something deeper.

"What?" Sting's brows furrowed in confusion.

"The Alimighty has always said that when someone trusts him and prays to him, anyone can be saved from their pain." He took a step closer to the boy, one of his brows quirking upwards, "Would you be willing to do something so simple for your salvation, Sting?"

* * *

Lucy sighed heavily as she descended the steps of the church, glad that she could finally go home as she headed back to the van with the cartridge of antler milk that Ultear had given her grasped tightly in her hand. She'd been more than just a little surprised at what the dark haired apostle had sought to send her home with, her eyes widening as she was offered the precious and rare, restorative drink that was usually reserved for the sick and elderly. But despite Lucy's humble refusal, Ultear had insisted, shoving it into her grasp and urging her to accept someone's sincerity when it was offered.

The blonde's brows furrowed when she caught sight of the van, finding that her brother wasn't inside like he had been when she'd left. She hadn't expected him to wander off on his own, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Sting?" she lightly called, her hands digging into her pockets for her phone. She bit her lip when he didn't answer, hanging up when the answering machine told her the phone she'd been trying to reach had been turned off.

The blonde figured he must've gone inside the church given there weren't many other places to go other than into the forest, but she knew he would never attempt such a thing with his leg in the condition it was. She placed the milk on the middle bench of the van before she started back up the stairs, wondering why her brother had wanted to come to the church in the first place.

The first rooms she searched were all void of anyone's presence, including the chapel, the sight of which had sent shivers up her spine due to the eerie, glowing red cross at the back of the room. She turned down the first hallway she passed, its walls and floor covered in plastic sheets, the only light coming from a glass door to the outside at the very end of the hall.

Something akin to a muffled whimper suddenly issued forth from behind one of the doors and she froze in confusion, unsure of whether or not she'd imagined the sound. But she started forward again when she heard the same moan once more, now moving more out of curiosity instead of a desire to find her brother.

Her hand froze on the knob of the door where the cry had originated from, hesitating when she saw that the plaque on the door read 'Private Prayer Rooms.' Whoever was whimpering was probably doing so out of prayerful repentance and confession, not out of pain and in need of aid like she'd originally thought.

Figuring she didn't have the right to intrude, she turned to leave, only taking a few steps before she was freezing in place again, her entire body tensing and her eyes widening as a feminine, bloodcurdling scream of pain echoed from behind the door.

Now she was sure. Someone was in desperate need of help, and so she turned back, wrenching open the door without a second of hesitation. On the other side, a dimly lit staircase descended into near darkness, another set of double doors resting at the bottom.

Despite the unsettling sight, Lucy started down the cold, concrete staircase, driven by the thought of the person who needed her help. Her hand anxiously pressed against the concrete wall of the stairwell, nervously attempting to steady herself as she shot down the stairs.

She let out a shaky breath as she came to stand in front of the door, hesitating when she noticed the lack of noise from the other side. She hadn't heard another scream nor whimper since the one before, but she brought her hand to grasp the knob anyways, desperately needing to investigate the noises she'd heard before.

The silence around her was deafening, her spine prickling and hair standing on edge.

A soft touch grazed against her right elbow from behind, a small shriek slipping from her lips as she whipped around, her back slamming against the door.

Her eyes widened as she found Zancrow standing directly behind her, his hand still outstretched to where her elbow had been. His lips quirked in an attempt to smile, but she could easily distinguish the restrained anger in his red irises, "What are you doing down here?"

Lucy swallowed nervously, fighting to get the tightness in her throat to loosen and her voice to work, "I…I couldn't find Sting."

He hummed lightly in understanding, something akin to malicious intent in his eyes and voice as he purred, "Is that so?"

The blonde girl nodded nervously, breathing heavily despite her attempts to calm herself, "Yes."

Zancrow took a step closer, his eyes focused on where her right hand was crossed in front of her body to still anxiously squeeze the knob of the door.

She nervously pressed her back further into the metal behind her as he came even closer, her voice quivering as she nervously began, "What...what are you-"

Her voice cut itself off as his hand slowly lifted and came forward to brush her hair behind her shoulder, her eyes widening when his fingertips lightly stroked her jawline as he pulled his hand back.

He hummed in satisfaction, his voice low, "Your hair is very soft."

Panic overwhelmed Lucy's senses, her whole body tensing and quivering as he tucked the tips of two of his fingers into the collar of her button up shirt. He began to pull on the fabric, her breaths quaking and tears gathering in her eyes at her own inability to fight back. When Sting was the one in peril, she would do anything to save him from it, even punch a boy who was much larger than her in the face without a second of hesitation like she had earlier that day. But when it came to saving her own skin, she was completely helpless, paralyzed in terror and trapped in her own fearful thoughts about what was going to happen to her.

The same bloodcurdling scream from before suddenly sounded out again from the door behind her, this time accompanied by a pained scream from a male.

Her head whipped over her shoulder towards the sound, but Zancrow caught her chin between his thumb and index finger, forcing her to look back at him as he whispered, "Don't be alarmed." His hand slid down her skin from her chin to land on her shoulder, leaning in closer as he lowly breathed out, "The believers who are going through pain or hardship come here to pray." His voice grew even quieter, the tips of their noses nearly brushing, "And for that reason, they cry …and _scream."_

He suddenly pulled back, his fake pleasant persona from before fully intact once more as he grinned at her.

Lucy stayed glued against the door, her breaths still rapidly quivering out and her eyes wide. His change had occurred so quickly that she was still paralyzed in fear, her trembling growing stronger at how he was now carrying himself, the man before her baring to resemblance to man he'd been a few seconds ago.

Zancrow smiled warmly at her, suddenly gasping lightly in revelation, "I think saw Sting outside by the van." He turned to head back up the stairs, casting her a glance over his shoulder to where she was still pressed against the door, his tone dark and suggestive as he ground out, "Let's come back here sometime to pray together. Then, maybe it'll be your turn to scream."

* * *

Lucy quietly and slowly spooned her rice into her mouth, her teeth lightly clinking against her spoon.

She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened with Zancrow earlier, her body still tense and her chest still feeling tight. She could still feel his touch on her skin, the places where he had skimmed tingling with phantom traces of his fingers.

The blonde was drawn out of her gruesome flashbacks when her mother softly hummed in delight, Layla's focus on the cartridge of antler milk that her daughter had brought home, "I feel bad for always receiving things from them."

Jude nodded as he sighed, "We should all go to the church service together this weekend in thanks."

Layla hummed in agreement to the idea while Lucy froze, fear rushing through her veins at the thought of seeing the blond apostle and creepy preacher again.

Her mother finally turned her gaze to her children, slightly leaning across the dinner table to be closer to them, "How was school? Did you make a lot of friends?"

Lucy glanced at Sting, remembering his wish for her to keep silent on the matter of what had happened in the cafeteria. She knew he didn't want to look weak and make their parents worry more, and she couldn't blame him. She hadn't spoken a whisper to anyone about what Zancrow had done to her, the underlying threat in the blond apostle's voice enough to seal her lips shut.

The blonde girl took the liberty of responding for both of them, decidedly vague as she answered, "It was only our first day, so there were a lot of other things to think about."

Jude nodded in understanding, "That's alright. There's no rush." He turned his focus to Sting, "What about you, son? How was your day?"

The boy took a moment to respond, his voice barely audible as he answered, "It was good."

Lucy swallowed heavily as she dropped her gaze to her ricebowl, catching his lie in the slight quiver of his voice.

"It seems like the people here are really nice," Jude smiled admirably. "They're simple and honest."

Sting suddenly dropped his silverware, the utensils clinking on the dinner table as he excused himself from their meal, "I…I'm gonna go to bed."

Layla's brows furrowed in concern, "Why so early? Are you sick?"

"I just…don't have an appetite," he stood, sliding his chair back under the table.

"But you should still eat all of your food, Sting," their mother pressed in worry.

"That's okay," Jude started, his voice understanding. "It must've been tiring to adjust to a new place." He turned his focus back to Sting, "At times like this, sleep is the only cure. Sleep well."

Her brother left the room without another word, the door to their room quietly clicking shut behind him.

Lucy went back to eating her food quietly, thinking about things quietly. She didn't know how they were going to make it in this town if so much misfortune had already befallen them in the few days they'd been there. Keeping her mouth shut and enduring until things got better would only get her so far, and she didn't know how things would go after she finally lost her will to keep fighting back and pretending like everything was fine.

"Lucy."

She glanced up as her father softly called her name, her spoon still trapped between her lips.

He kept his voice low to avoid being overheard by the boy in the other room, "Take care of your brother, dear. You're his guardian at school. You know that, right?"

The blonde softly nodded her head, thinking over how what had happened earlier was proof of that fact.

She knew she had to look out for her twin, and she would even say her need to protect him was etched into her very existence.

But a small part of her desperately wanted to turn the questions back on her father, hopeless wondering who was going to look out for her when she was so caught up in defending Sting. Given how she'd been completely frozen in fear during her encounter with Zancrow earlier, she knew she was incapable of protecting herself.

When it came to her own safety, she was too afraid of the consequences of fighting back, so if she was supposed to be Sting's keeper, who would be her guardian?

For no apparent reason that she could determine, at the word 'guardian,' the memory of two boys standing protectively in front of her and her brother appeared in her mind once more, tufts of salmon and raven hair poking over the jackets of their school uniforms.

Natsu and Gray had both appeared rather guardian-like then, and for a moment, she let herself get lost in the idea of getting closer to them. Thus far, they were the only two people she'd met in Magnolia that didn't terrify the shit out of her, though she was sure she'd feel differently if she had been on the receiving end of the glares they'd given Macbeth and his friends. It seemed like they used their strength with good intent, and they had gone out of their way to help her and her family twice now; first in the rain and once more in the cafeteria.

But before she could let herself get too caught up in that trail of thought for too long, she reminded herself that her tendency to easily gift her trust to others was part of the reason she was so unhappy now. The betrayal of the people she and her family had once called friends was one of the reasons why they'd left Crocus, the combination of the treachery and the incident with Sting too much for them to endure.

She didn't believe in fate anyways, and the fact that the boys who had helped them in the rain that night were in her class was far too much of a coincidence for her to believe that she was supposed to become friends with them.

So she forced all thoughts from her mind, of both Natsu and Gray and Zancrow, silently going to back to shoving spoonful after spoonful of rice in her mouth.

* * *

 **AN**

 **More misfortune has befallen the Heartfilia twins…and it'll only continue to get worse. But now Lucy is connected more closely with Natsu and Gray, and their interconnectedness will only continue to grow from here on out!**

 **Again, I apologize for OOCness, but since I'm adapting this story, there's really no way around it. I'm trying the best I can to make them more like themselves, but there's only so much I can do…**

 **Anyways, let me know your thoughts! Any predictions, critiques, and/or compliments are welcomed and appreciated!**

 **The next chapter's an important and eventful one, so I'm excited for you guys to read it!**

 **As always, thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Boy on the Ledge

**I apologize to all Nalu fans in advance…just know that I'll make it up to you later tenfold.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

 **The Boy on the Ledge**

Natsu awkwardly cleared his throat as he descended the stairs into his loud, bustling living room, his school uniform haphazardly thrown onto his frame and his backpack strapped over only one shoulder. Zeref's helpers were busily scurrying about the space, preparing for the election and, in particular, the speech the number one candidate would make later that evening.

The constant presence of others in his home, from even the earliest hours of the morning to late in the night, drove him a bit insane. It was never quiet and peaceful like it used to be, and Zeref's campaign workers were part of the reason why he hung out with his friends as much as he did, taking any excuse he could get to away from the bustling activity.

Assuming he wouldn't have a chance to exchange morning greetings with his brother, Natsu ducked through the scattered people and towards the door, hearing a cry of his name as he slipped his sneakers over his heels without even untying the laces. His mom used to scold him like crazy for his bad habit, and Wendy had taken up the task of attempting to save the backs of his shoes after she died, although his sister was much more gentle and amiable in her admonishment.

The salmon haired boy glanced up to see Zeref rushing towards him from where he'd been in conversation with Dimaria, a stack of papers in his hands that Natsu assumed held the contents of his speech. The blonde woman had a look of distaste on her features as she was left behind, her lips curling in irritation and her fingers clenching tightly around her own large stack of papers.

Natsu ignored the heated stare she shot his way, more than used to his brother's peculiar helpers by now. None of them were pleasant people, though he supposed the world of politics these days was more than enough of a reason for why they acted the way they did.

Zeref had a look of disapproval on his face as he glanced at his little brother's tie, exasperatedly reprimanding him, "You punk. Seriously…are you ever going to learn how to tie it properly?"

"I'm gonna be late," the salmon haired boy complained, trying to find an out so that he didn't have to deal with Zeref's expectations of him. As the younger brother of the number one candidate for the governor of the state, he had lot of standards to live up to, most of which contradicted his preferred way of life. He liked to live each day unrestrained and riskily, dealing with things as they came his way. The perfectly composed and meticulously disciplined life didn't suit him.

But despite his childish fussing, his older brother had already fixed the accessory, patting it against his chest with a content smile, "There. Just like mom taught." He grinned warmly at his brother, "Natsu, I'm sure you already know this, but I promise that I _will_ win the election again. And once I've won, I'll put everything I have into helping Wendy get better." He set his hands on his brother's shoulders, giving him a little, affectionate nudge, "Until then, please stay out of trouble. Can you do that for me?"

Natsu's lips quirked in a half smile, his voice joking, but also sincere, "I can't make any promises."

Zeref chuckled, pushing him towards the door, "Now go. You're gonna be late."

* * *

Gildarts paced in front of the chalk board, lecturing his class from a textbook, "Confucius thought that the reason for societal chaos was due to the corruption and immorality of humans. Because of this, he proposed that…"

Natsu tuned his teacher out and instead occupied his bored mind with doodling dragons and fire in his notebook, trying and failing to ignore Gray's light snoring from his left. The raven haired boy had been asleep practically since the class had begun, his head hitting the desk the moment his name was passed in rollcall.

The salmon haired glanced over at Lucy, who sat on his other side, as her pen scratched across her own light blue, star-covered notebook, the blonde dutifully focused on Gildarts and hurriedly jotting down notes with a purple pen. His lips quirked in a small, amused smile when she shook out the wrist of her writing hand, catching sight of a large purple smudge of ink on the outside of her pinkie finger.

She hadn't spoken to him since that day in the cafeteria, which had nearly been a week ago by now. But he was content with her ignoring him, at least for the time being. He knew she'd probably only push him further away if he tried to get close to her before she was ready, and her lack of care for him meant he could stare at her all he wanted while they sat next to each other in class.

At first, he'd only marveled at her looks, her blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes unforgettably etched into his thoughts since that night in the rain. But after what had happened in the cafeteria, he admired her for her bravery and dedication, too. She'd courageously stood alone against a group of four who clearly held the advantage over her, her devotion to her brother unceasing and giving her the strength to hold her own, at least for a little while.

He realized that she was a lot like him when he thought about it, their loyalty to those they held dear often getting them into trouble with the worst kind of people.

Natsu lightly jolted from his daydreaming about the blonde when chimes suddenly sounded out, Gray's snoring coming to an abrupt halt at the same time. The raven haired boy let out a heavy sigh as the school bell cut off, closing the book he'd propped up on his desk to hide himself and sliding it into his backpack.

"Natsu, Gray!" they both jumped as Gildarts called their names, freezing in the packing of their belongings, "You're both on cleaning duty today. Wait for my inspection before you leave."

The boys both let out small groans of dread.

Gildarts sharply tapped the edge of his textbook on his podium, a grin upon his face as he looked over his students, chuckling at the two in the very back of the room as they slouched over, "Class dismissed."

* * *

After one particularly hard shoulder shove from Elfman, Loke stumbled backwards over his own feet, only barely managing to keep himself from toppling onto the dirt ground of the basketball court. He shot back to his full height in an instant, fully intent on spewing a string of curses at his tan friend and giving him a piece of his mind. But he paused when he caught of glimpse of gold in his peripherals, doing a double take of the girl sitting on one of the benches at the edge of the court, her chocolate brown eyes anxiously glancing towards the school entrance again and again.

His brows furrowed as he recognized her, quietly speaking to himself in disbelief, "The pretty blonde from Friday night?"

* * *

"Shouldn't we tell the teacher?"

"About what? That boy from Crocus?"

Lucy perked up as she overhead the conversation of two passing girls, knowing right away that they were talking about her brother. They'd created quite the reputation for themselves at the high school of the small country town, city kids like them an uncommon sight in Magnolia.

"Yeah."

"No way. You don't want to get on Macbeth's bad side, do you?"

Lucy's eyes widened at the mention of the black haired boy, her bag slipping from her shoulder without her realizing as she shot to her feet and back towards the school, a feeling of dread pooling in her stomach as she ran.

* * *

Sting stumbled backwards from the force of the blow that landed on his jaw, barely managing to keep himself on his feet with his one good leg. As soon as he managed to straighten himself back out once more, Eric mercilessly punched him again, the blond having to use his hands this time to keep himself on his feet. His knuckles scraped against the rough terrain of the school's roof, blood gathering in the small cuts and mixing with the loose, black grit on the ground.

Macbeth, Sawyer, and Sorano were simply standing back, comfortably watching on in silence as Eric beat the blond until he bled, his face already littered with bruises and splotches of blood from his skin breaking open upon impact.

Sting's gaze hopelessly found the door that he'd been shoved through earlier, the school's roof access still wide open and softly creaking as a soft breeze blew past. Once more, he found himself praying for somebody, _anybody_ to come to his aid, his own shame about his current state shoved aside and overpowered by his need for release from the hell he'd been trapped in. He didn't care how pathetic he looked, he just wanted it all to be over.

The black haired boy followed his gaze, quirking a brow, "What? You think someone's coming to save you?"

Eric's foot landed in the center of Sting's stomach, sending him toppling over his stiff leg and to the ground, landing painfully on his tailbone. He wrapped an arm around his stomach, groaning in pain as his ribs ached with phantom traces of the impact.

Macbeth finally stepped forward, taking Eric's place above the blond and setting his foot atop the boy's permanently disabled knee, "Why don't you pray for yourself like you always do?" He chuckled cruelly as he put all of his weight onto his foot, crushing the boy's limb beneath him, "But I don't think even God will listen to your pathetic mumbling."

Sting curled into himself out of instinct, screaming in pain as his leg was crushed. Just when he thought his bones might snap, the pressure was gone, Macbeth's foot lifting from his leg to kick him in the face, his head painfully cranking backwards as blood sprayed from his nose.

* * *

Lucy flew through the school's entrance, immediately shooting up the stairs with the unexplainable hunch that she'd find her twin on the roof. During after school hours, it was the only place other than the bathrooms that would be free of the presence of teachers and other school staff, and something within her told her that she wouldn't find Sting in any of the restrooms.

She didn't pay much attention to the other students descending the stairs, brushing shoulders with a few people on her way up without any whisper of an apology. Her need to save her brother was too strong for her to pay much mind to anything else, her thoughts focused solely on him and the four who were tormenting him.

The blonde conquered one set of stairs without incident, but as she hurriedly rounded the corner to start up the stairs leading to the third level, her body roughly collided with a firm chest, the girl letting out a tiny yelp of surprise as she reeled backwards and fell to the floor.

"You okay?"

Lucy glanced up at the sound of the concerned voice, seeing two different hands held out to her. The paler of the pair drew back after a moment as if in realization that the other, tanner hand had beat it to the chase.

She followed the arm of the tan hand back up to its owner, tightly grasping onto it as the salmon haired boy pulled her to her feet.

Even once she was on her feet, she kept holding onto him, grasping onto his wrist with her other hand and desperately boring her gaze up into his, taking a few deep breaths before she quietly, hysterically began, "You have to help me."

Natsu's brows furrowed as he glanced over at Gray, finding that his rival looked just as confused as he felt.

Lucy turned her gaze to the raven haired boy, too, extending her desperate plea to him as well, "Please…please help my brother."

"What's wrong?" Gray questioned in concern.

Her voice quaked in a strange mixture of anger and fear, "It's those same jerks from the cafeteria…I think they took him to the roof."

The raven haired boy sneered and immediately turned to head back up the stairs, his voice low as he glowered, "Those fucking bastards." He slowly came to a halt when he noticed that his rival wasn't following behind him, turning back over his shoulder, "Ashface…aren't you coming?"

Natsu's gaze was on the floor, his thoughts taking him back to what Zeref had asked of him that morning. Despite his lack of care and usual disregard for the perfectly composed lifestyle that his brother had forced onto him, he knew that getting into a violent skirmish, which would likely become public knowledge given that word spread fast in a small town like Magnolia, was a blight upon his family record that Zeref didn't need. His brother viewed losing even a single citizen's support as a massive failure, and Natsu knew that beating up the children of potential voters would be a sure way to earn his brother's wrath.

And just like Zeref, now he, too, would see losing a single vote as major loss, not just because he wanted his brother to succeed, but also because of the promise Zeref had made to him that morning. He desperately needed Wendy to get better, and because of Zeref's promise, winning the election and helping his sister heal had become goals that were one in the same.

Natsu glanced back down at where Lucy was still hopelessly grasping onto him, his jaw clenching at the way her grip conveyed her desperation. He'd never been one to turn down a fight, but now, his sister was infinitely more important than justice to him.

Gray seemed to get fed up with his silence, descending the steps once more, most likely to beat some sense into him and snap him out of whatever daze he'd fallen into.

But before he could do anything, Natsu came back to himself, grabbing tightly onto Lucy's wrist and prying his hand out of her grasp, his lips pressing into a thin line as he looked into her wide, brown eyes. His tone had a bit of a bite to it as he surmised, "You said you'd take care of it yourselves."

He turned to his rival before he could see much else of Lucy's reaction, ignoring the way her hands still floated in the air where his hand had been and finding himself unable to look in her pleading, tear-filled eyes any longer, "Let's go. Loke and Elfman are waiting for us."

Gray's features hardened in irritation as he snapped, "What the hell's wrong with you?"

Natsu glanced back at the blonde, surprised to find more anger in her expression now instead of sorrow and fear like before. He sucked in a heavy breath to strengthen his resolve, "You shouldn't come to us for help anymore. Go find a teacher instead."

Her jaw clenched, angry tears welling in her eyes as something akin to betrayal blazed to life in her irises. She shoved them both aside and stormed between them to charge up the stairs without another word, Natsu keeping his gaze trained on her back until she disappeared around the corner at the top, guilt immediately puddling in his gut.

Gray's brows furrowed as he took a small step closer to the salmon haired boy, "Natsu…are you really just going to ignore all this? How can you turn your back on her?"

"It's not our fight," Natsu grew defensive despite his regret for how he'd turned the blonde away, still fully devoted to what he believed would help his sister out the most. "Are we the police now or something?"

The salmon haired boy turned to finish descending the stairs, but Gray roughly dug his fingers into his shoulder and yanked him back around, his brows furrowed in anger and his voice low, "Is it because of Zeref?"

"It's none of your business," he ground out.

Natsu attempted to leave once more before their fight could grow more heated, but the raven haired boy fisted a hand in the back of his jacket and spun him around once again.

Gray had a knowing, yet still angered look on his face as he lowly growled, "He told you to be careful didn't he? He's so worried about his stupid election and he's afraid you'll do something to ruin it for him, right?"

"Watch your mouth," Natsu spat back, angered by the harsh tone his rival used while speaking of his brother. "Why are you so eager to get involved?" He nodded in the direction had Lucy disappeared, his tone spiteful as he snarled, "You got a crush on her or something? Is that it?"

Gray drew back, his lips pressed into a thin line as Natsu continued with his defensive, heated lashing.

"If you do, then why don't you go after her yourself and be her prince charming? You don't need me there to ruin the moment, right?" He roughly shook himself out of his rival's grasp, sneering, "Get your hand off of me."

The raven haired boy stared after him as he finally started down the stairs, knowing that Natsu was only acting the way he was because his brother must've said something to him.

Everyone was afraid of Zeref and his power, and now it seemed that even his little brother was, too.

But Gray couldn't run after his rival to beat some sense into him at the moment. There was another, more urgent matter, and so he clenched his jaw, climbing the stairs two steps at a time as he chased after Lucy.

* * *

Lucy was heavily huffing for breath as she burst through the door to the roof, her eyes desperately scanning the area for her brother.

Her body went rigid when she spotted him, her eyes widening and her throat clenching at his appearance, his name tearing from her throat in a desperate cry, "Sting!"

He was standing atop one of the radiating systems on the roof, his belt unbuckled and his pants unzipped and halfway down his hips, his trembling hands the only thing keeping them up. His face was littered with purple bruises and blood, the crimson liquid pouring from his now crooked nose and mixing with the black grit that clung to his skin.

The same four who had harassed him in the cafeteria surrounded him, the white haired girl filming him with her phone. Their gazes lazily turned to her as she cried her brother's name, Macbeth's black-painted lips quirking in annoyance.

Lucy stumbled closer despite their glares, her breaths beginning to tremble at the implications of the sight before her.

Sting's faced scrunched in pain as he gazed at her, his eyes desperately pleading with her, "Just go, Lucy!"

She could hear it in his voice, his plea for her to leave him behind so that she could save herself from their torment. But despite his wishes, she squared her shoulders, swallowing heavily and pressing her lips into a grim line, "Sting…don't do this. Pull your pants back up…please."

She bored her gaze into his, promising him through their unspoken connection that she would do everything she could to get them both out of this, safe and sound. After a moment of speaking through their irises, he softly nodded his head, his hands moving to the front of his pants to pull them back up and secure them.

Sawyer hands shot out and roughly snatched his wrist before he could get them all the way up, Macbeth simultaneously sneering, "Who said you could tell him to do that?"

Lucy's voice grew louder in desperation as her eyes filled with angry tears, hopelessly fighting to hold them back and stay strong in front of the four who had harassed her twin, "Please, stop this!"

"Why don't you let your brother speak for himself for once?" The black haired boy turned back to Sting, his voice low as he threatened, "What do you say? Should we show your sister the picture we took of your junk…or do you want her to leave so you can play with us?"

Sting looked to her once more, his eyes already letting her know which he was going to choose. She desperately shook her head as tears gathered in his eyes, his voice trembling in fear and shame as he pleaded, "Please…just…just go."

Macbeth sneered at her over his shoulder, "Did you hear that? He told you to leave."

Her gaze fell to the ground, her fists clenching in determination despite the panicked tightening of her throat. Like her father had said a few days prior, she was his guardian, and she refused to leave him alone with his tormenters, no matter what it took to set him free. She was well aware of the fact that she would never be able to take them all out on her own, but she knew there were other ways to save her brother, and she would take them without hesitation, regardless of what it cost her.

She nervously licked her lips, her voice barely managing to stay even, "I'm begging you. Let my brother go."

Macbeth smirked as he lazily approached her, his hands coolly tucked into his pockets, "If you're going to beg, at least do it properly. You should know by now that nothing comes for free in this world." He caught her gaze as she finally lifted her focus from the ground, his voice low as he ground out his command, "In exchange for your brother…you take your clothes off instead."

* * *

Natsu dejectedly shoved his hands into his pockets as he slumped out to the basketball court, his eyebrows troubled as he thought over what had just happened in the stairwell. That fight had been different from his and Gray's common skirmishes, their venomous words fully loaded and actually carrying substance. In a way, it kind of felt like Gray had chosen Lucy over him, though as soon as the thought came to mind, he tossed it aside, knowing the idea was baseless. The raven haired boy was just helping out a person in desperate need, and he knew that he shouldn't have gotten mad at Gray like that, figuring that if their roles were reversed he probably would have acted just the same.

He felt awful for how he'd refused Lucy's cry for help, too, but he had no doubt that Gray would be able to handle the situation just fine on his own, maybe only picking up a few scratches and bruises in the mix. Despite their constant arguing, he had faith in his rival, and everything would turn out fine, he was sure.

"Natsu!" Loke's brows furrowed as he caught sight of him, immediately noticing the lack of another's presence at the salmon haired boy's side, "Where's Gray?"

Not in the mood to speak of what had happened, he sighed heavily, dropping his school bag on the edge of the court before stealing the ball from Elfman's hands, "He's not coming. Let's just play without him."

* * *

Lucy was now the subject of the camera on Sorano's phone, Macbeth's hands moving across the blonde's front as he stripped her of her tie and reached for the buttons of her uniform's white shirt, starting at the top and undoing them one by one. Her jacket had already been ripped from her shoulders, Eric roughly yanking it off the second Macbeth had offered to strip her in exchange for her brother's safety.

Sting was still stranded atop one of the radiators, Sawyer keeping a tight grasp on his wrists and preventing him from moving much. His eyes were wide and dead as he watched his tormentors strip his sister, a familiar sense of uselessness and shame weighing down upon him once again, this time heavier and more crushing than ever before.

Lucy's hands were shaking in fists at her sides, her eyes zeroing in Macbeth's chest in an attempt to ignore what was happening and force her mind elsewhere. She kept repeating Sting's name like a mantra in her head, constantly reminding herself that she was doing it for his sake. She knew that Sawyer was still near him, and she wanted nothing more than to glance at her brother and make sure they were keeping their promise and leaving him alone. But she knew that he'd be close to tears; that his eyes would be full of shame and self-loathing as he watched her take the fall for him, and his expression would completely shatter her resolve. So she swallowed heavily and kept her focus trained on the nasty stain on her assaulter's shirt, the air in her lungs escaping her in hurried, shaky breaths.

Her shirt fell open as the last button was undone, Macbeth sliding the white shirt over the pale skin of her shoulders with traces of anticipation in his features. The sleeves caught on her wrists and bunched at the ends of her arms, but the damage was already done.

Eric let out a low whistle of satisfaction as her chest was revealed to his gaze, clad only in her light pink bra. He traced his fingers over her shoulders and across her collar bones from behind, his touch dropping and looming ever closer to the upper curve of her breasts as Macbeth's hand moved to teasingly stroke her stomach along the edge of her skirt, the tips of his fingers dipping into the hem.

The black haired boy suddenly stumbled forward when something forcefully slammed into his back, Lucy staggering backwards to avoid colliding with him as a hiss of pain slipped through his lips.

He growled as his head whipped around to find his attacker, the blonde girl's eyes widening as she found Gray standing near the door to the roof, his shoulders still twisted from chucking his textbook at Macbeth.

The raven haired boy's fists were clenched and his face was twitching in anger, his eyes dark and warning as he lowly growled, "Listen carefully." His eyes scanned over the four who surrounded the twins in a threat, seething as he spat, "From now on, I'm not considering any of you human. All you are to me is complete trash."

Eric took a step towards the new comer, his frame tensed in preparation for a fight, "What's this bullshit?"

Macbeth stopped his friend with a hand to his chest, his eyes narrowed at Gray, "I guess you still don't know your place."

Lucy took advantage of the fact that with the raven haired boy's entrance, everyone's attention had shifted off of her, anxiously sliding her shirt back over her shoulders and hurriedly buttoning it back up with quivering hands.

Macbeth took a few steps towards his newest opponent, "Without that bastard Natsu Dragneel, you're just a worthless peasant. You need to learn your place, you low-life."

Gray sneered as he made his way over to one of the brooms leaning on the wall near the door, grabbing the top of it while he kicked the bottom, snapping the stick in two, "I'm on cleaning duty today."

The black haired boy apathetically quirked a brow, "What the hell are you saying?"

Gray swung the pointed stick around a few times as if in warmup, leaning forward and glaring at the four as he glowered, "That means I'm in charge of taking out the trash."

None of them moved an inch, Macbeth seething in silence at the insult.

The raven haired boy lightly chuckled to himself as he provoked, "Aren't you going to attack? Or are you too afraid?"

"Bring it on, peasant," Macbeth taunted back.

Gray ran forward at the same time as the other three boys, tucking his knees into his chest and vaulting over the mop Eric swung at his legs. On his way back down, he planted his right foot in Sawyer's chest and shoved him backwards, simultaneously shooting himself to the left and brining his stick to crack against Macbeth's skull, the two boys falling to the ground just as Gray landed on his feet.

The raven haired boy turned around just in time to dodge Eric's fist, catching sight of Sawyer shooting to his feet and charging towards him over the maroon haired boy's shoulder.

As the fight commenced, Lucy ran to her brother, placing her hands under his arms and catching him as she pulled him down from the radiator. She slung one of his arms over her shoulder and began leading him to the edge roof where he would be safely away from the fight, forcing herself to ignore the small winces he let out at nearly every step. She glanced back at Gray as she pulled Sting away, fully intent of running back to his aid once her brother was taken care of.

Once again, Gray shoved Sawyer away with a foot to his chest, the force of his own kick sending him falling backward onto his butt. Without taking a moment of rest, he rolled onto his hands and knees and tried to stand, a sharp grunt slipping through his lips when something thick and solid whacked against his back rather weakly, but still hard enough to send pain thrumming across his shoulder blades. He clenched his teeth as he shot to his feet before his attacker could bring their weapon down on him again, spinning around to find Sorano with a strip of wood clasped between her hands, her shoulders hunched in uncertainty as he towered over her. He caught her wrist when she moved to swing it down on him again in panic, crushing her forearm in his grasp. He didn't care if she was a chick, she was just as much a piece of garbage as her friends were.

He'd seen the phone in her hands when he'd first caught sight of Macbeth stripping Lucy upon bursting through the door to the roof, and he had no doubt that she'd had plans of using the footage of the blonde allowing two men to grope and ogle her as blackmail.

People like her had no right to escape punishment simply because they possessed a certain trait, and so he raised his fist above his in preparation.

Macbeth suddenly launched another attack from behind, sending the raven haired boy staggering into Sorano, the white haired girl stumbling back into Lucy and Sting in a domino effect. Gray managed to keep his footing, but the other three fell to the ground, an agonized groan tearing from the blond boy's throat as his sister landed on top of him.

Gray ducked when Sawyer swung a fist at him, lunging forward to tackle the blond by wrapping his arms around his middle and driving him backwards and away from the downed twins, Macbeth and Eric chasing after him. Although it made things harder on him, he was glad the three boys were so focused on taking him down that they seemed to completely forget about the two blondes, hoping that the twins would take advantage of the lack of attention on them and escape.

"Sting!" Lucy hurriedly pushed herself to her hands and knees to rid her abused brother of her weight, her eyes widening at his lack of verbal response, the only sounds escaping him being pained whimpers as his arms clutched around his middle.

Her concerns for him were left unvoiced, the blonde shrieking as a hand fisted in the hair at the back of her scalp and yanked upwards, shooting to her feet in an attempt to ease the pain. Her hands grabbed the wrist of her attacker as she whipped herself around, finding that Sorano had opted for skirmishing with her instead of Gray.

The blonde grit her teeth as she swiped her fingernails at the girl's cheek and broke skin, absolutely no qualms about roughing the white haired girl up a bit, too, regardless of the uncanny resemblance she bore to one of her and Sting's dear friends. She'd been one of the people to harass Sting after all, and for that, there was no forgiveness.

Lucy shrieked out something akin to a battle cry as she lunged to tackle the other girl to the floor, using her own weight to pin the white haired girl down. She wasn't quite sure what to do next now that she'd placed herself in a position on top of Sorano, but she figured that as long as everyone was kept away from Sting, things weren't going so bad.

The raven haired boy fighting with the other three finally managed to toss Sawyer off of him, landing a punch to Eric's jaw and following through with a knee to the maroon haired boy's face in hopes of sending him to the ground for good.

Gray was growing more desperate to start taking people out of the fight permanently, realizing that the meager blows he'd given thus far weren't enough. If he wanted to win, he couldn't keep splitting his attention between three different opponents, and so he grew more brutal with his attacks, sparing the three who had tormented the blondes no mercy.

Macbeth ruthlessly beat at his back with Sorano's abandoned piece of wood, and without any regards for his own spine, the raven haired boy jumped and threw his upper body backwards, crunching his abs to bring his legs up into his chest and twisting so that his foot struck in the center of Macbeth's face. Gray let out a hiss as his tailbone collided with the ground, but the blood spilling from the black haired boy's nose made the pain of the hard landing completely worth it.

* * *

Natsu sighed heavily as he dribbled the basketball, not in the mood for Elfman's and Loke's antics as they dramatically jumped and hopped around in front of him to block his shot, neither of the two trying to steal the ball from his hands even though he was standing completely still right in front of them.

Their daily afterschool basketball games just weren't the same without Gray there to protest against his every call and steal the ball from his hands even though they were always on the same team.

He glanced towards the hoop as he prepared to finally take a shot, his body going rigid with the ball still in his grasp as his eyes were drawn to the sight beyond the backboard.

Loke's arms were still waving wildly in the air, his brows furrowing as he shuffled back and forth in front of his salmon haired friend, "What? Did I psych you out?"

Natsu was silent, his eyes slowly widening as he continued to stare up at the roof.

There, standing atop the meter tall barrier that ran along the roof's perimeter was a bloodied and bruised blond.

The salmon haired boy hadn't bothered to learn the boy's name, but he was easily recognizable as Lucy's twin, his blond hair and pale skin a perfectly resembling his sister's own.

The ball slipped from Natsu's hands as he rushed back into the school, ignoring Elfman's and Loke's calls as he slammed the glass doors open in his haste.

* * *

As Gray panted on the ground of the roof, he briefly took notice that his knee had, in fact, taken Eric out of the fight for good. Similar to Macbeth, blood was pouring down the maroon haired boy's face from his nose, the bone obviously broken and leaving him unable to do much more than writhe in pain on the ground as he clutched at it.

The fact that he had downed one of his opponents was the only thing Gray found positive about his situation, which was steadily growing worse by the second.

Macbeth and Sawyer were growing smarter as the fight progressed, ganging up on him together instead of attacking alone, one at a time like they had before. They took advantage of his downed position, digging their fingers into his arms and yanking him to his feet, keeping a study hold on him as he exhaustedly tried to tug himself out of their grasp, "Let go of me!"

Because of his anger over finding Lucy and her brother in such as state as they were upon bursting through the door to the roof, he'd given his all during the beginning of the fight, figuring that if he came down on them hard and fast, they wouldn't be able to withstand it. But he'd overestimated his own abilities, and now he was exhausted, his body unable to keep up with his drive.

Lucy finally shoved herself off of Sorano once the girl grew too exhausted to fight back, shooting to her feet and whipping around herself to search for Sting. It was like instinct, the need to make sure he was okay; his life taking priority over hers in her mind regardless of the bruises and scratches that now littered her own skin.

Ice filled her veins and froze her body solid when she found him, his eyes trained on the ground five stories below as he stood atop the roof's perimeter wall. Her eyes went wide and her voice cracked as she fearfully cried, "Sting!"

The three boys still wrestling against one another whipped their focuses towards her at the desperate cry, their bodies stilling in their skirmish as they saw where the boy stood.

Gray quickly shoved his shock aside, taking advantage of the loosening grips on his arms and tugging himself out of Macbeth and Sawyer's grasp. He shot forward towards the boy on the ledge, freezing after only a few steps when the blond boy moved one of his feet closer to the edge as he approached in a warning that if he came any closer, he would jump.

The raven haired boy cautiously stood completely still, his gaze warily traveling to Lucy to see her next move.

Through their unspoken bond, the blonde knew that her brother wasn't just bluffing to bring the fight to an end. He'd climbed upon the ledge with every intent of jumping and ending it all, and tears fill her eyes when she thought over how much he must've been hiding from her; of all the pain he'd endured quietly on his own.

She tried to keep her voice calm despite her overwhelming panic, her sorrowful voice breaking as she desperately shook her head, tears endlessly flowing down her cheeks, "Sting…please don't do this."

"I shouldn't have been born," his voice carried an heavy sorrow, an eerie sense of acceptance and belief in his tone as he uttered his next words, "Your life would've been so much better if I hadn't been your twin."

Lucy shook her head more vigorously, her tears growing stronger and harder to control, "Don't you dare say that!"

"He's not going to do it!" Macbeth sneered from where Gray had left him standing next to Sawyer, "He's just putting on a show!"

Sting's dead eyes slid over to the black haired boy at the shout, his voice eerily void of any fervor or drive, "Everyone here's the same. There's only one way to escape it."

"That's not true, Sting!" Lucy barely managed to desperately choke out between her sobs. "We can change things! I'll help you!"

He ignored her cries and looked heavenwards, the cloudy, rather dreary sky above him somewhat of a comfort. He took a few deep breaths as Precht's words from their earlier meeting echoed in his head.

' _The Almighty's heart is always open.'_

With the reassurance that someone would be waiting for him in the next life, he resolved to take the leap.

Sting slowly lowered his gaze back to his sister, his voice solemn yet sincere as he saw her sobbing before him, "I'm sorry, Lucy."

She desperately shook her head, her eyes crinkling in disbelief as more tears slipped from her eyes.

Time seemed to slow as he stared lovingly at her for a moment more before his face went slack, his eyes slowly sliding shut as he let the tension fade from his muscles so that he fell backwards, his body slipping over the edge.

"NO! STING!" Lucy desperately screamed as her brother disappeared from her sight, her legs giving out from under her as sobs consumed her existence, curling into herself as she sorrowfully screamed into her knees.

Gray shot forward, uncaring of the pain that raked his body as he slammed against the barrier wall, his face going pale as he leaned over the ledge as far as he could. The blond boy's body was lying in the midst of the garden below, his limbs splayed out unnaturally and his blood splattered on the white flowers beneath him.

"N-no…"

His head whipped around at the small cry, tears beginning to sting the backs of his own eyes without his volition as he turned to find Lucy collapsed on the ground behind him, her body quivering uncontrollably as she sobbed.

The door to the roof suddenly burst open, Natsu's eyes frantically scanning the rooftop and finding Gray first; his rival standing right next to the barrier where the blond boy had been, "Gray!"

As the raven haired boy's eyes slowly slid to him, they were filled with furious tears, his features shaking in rage and his lips pulling back in something akin to an angry sneer. Part of that fury was directed at him, Natsu knew. He'd refused a cry for help, and because of it, someone might have died.

The sound of sobbing was the next thing the salmon haired boy processed, his heavy breaths from his climb suddenly stopping all together as he found the source, his face going slack at the sight.

Lucy's entire form was trembling with the onslaught of her sobs, which were beginning to sound more like harrowing screams, her hands tightly pressed against her chest and fisting in the fabric of her shirt.

Her irises were shaking as her gaze slowly lifted to his, two, barely audible words slipping from her quivering lips, "…s-save me…"

Natsu's eyes widened as she sobbed, with those two words confirming his fears.

He was too late…and her brother was dead.

* * *

 **AN**

 **Farewell, Sting…you will be dearly missed. I apologize for how short lived he was in this fic, but he will continue to influence things throughout the rest of the story, so he won't be forgotten so easily.**

 **Yes, yes, we have a death already and we're only four chapters in. But don't be too concerned, because like I said before, there really won't be a ton of deaths in this story. There is one more coming up pretty soon and then a few at the end during the climax, but there won't be an overwhelming number like I've had in some of my fics before.**

 **And yes, I did change the rating of this fic to T. I revised some of my plans and the scene for which this fic was originally rated m underwent some serious changes, so I bumped the rating down. I don't think it will, but it may go back up to m though as I finalize my plans for the ending, and I'll try to let you guys know in advance.**

 **For all you Nalu fans who wanted Natsu to charge in and save Lucy, have no fear, he'll have plenty of opportunities to do so later. He'll go through a lot of changes really really soon as he experiences the final events that finish setting up for the main portion of this story, and from that point on, a large part of his character arc will revolve around him making up for his past mistakes, particularly for Gray's and Lucy's sakes. So have no fear, the Nalu will come eventually, and when we get there, the wait will have been well worth it, I promise.**

 **For the next couple of chapters, Lucy's part in this story will be centrally focused on the aftermath of Sting's death, and the focus of this fic will momentarily shift more towards Natsu and Gray's stories as we finish setting things up. The next chapter is really heavy on the Gratsu bromance, and it has one of my fav scenes in it. I'm excited for you all to read it!**

 **Thank you so much for taking the time to read!**


	5. Chapter 5: To Be Alone

**Chapter Five**

 **To Be Alone**

Mira rolled her eyes as she tugged Macbeth out of the back of her police van, three of her coworkers dragging Eric, Sorano, and Sawyer out in a similar manner. They'd all caused quite the ruckus on their drive from the school, the black haired boy complaining a lot louder than rest. She was more than ready to have him out of her jurisdiction, glad to finally be able to toss him over to coworkers and be free of her headache.

Macbeth relentlessly struggled and tugged against her surprisingly sturdy grasp, his black-painted lips pulling back in a sneer, "Let go of me! I didn't do anything wrong!"

Gray was silent as he was pulled out of the back seat of the police car parked next to the van, simply letting Laxus lead into him to the station without any hint of a struggle. He hoped that since Mira and Laxus were involved in the investigation, his punishment would be no greater than a fine. He trusted in them not only because they were the older siblings of two of his best friends, but also because they were disciples of reason, and they'd see that his actions, no matter how violent they'd been, were in defense of those who couldn't protect themselves.

But then again, that was only if Macbeth and his friends were completely honest with their testimonies about what had happened on the roof, which he had a feeling wouldn't be the case. They'd probably leave out a lot all of the information about their own misdeeds and try to pin the blame for their fight on him. And with Lucy excused from the case until after her brother's funeral, there was no one but himself to testify to his innocence.

Macbeth tugged his cuffed hands in Gray's direction, following through with the raven haired boy's suspicions, "That punk punched me first! It's all his fault!"

Gray pressed his lips into a thin line, flinching a bit when the action pulled at the bruise in the corner of his mouth.

The white haired cop relentlessly tugged her charge forward, no longer bothering to be gentle as he stumbled behind her to stay on his feet, "Just be quiet already! We'll talk inside!"

"Gray! Gray!"

The raven haired boy looked over his shoulder at the familiar cry of his name, swallowing heavily as Natsu, Loke, and Elfman rushed into the police station's parking lot. He had a feeling that they'd run all the way from the high school, which knowing the three of them, they most likely had.

He didn't have a chance to say anything to them, Laxus passing him to another police officer he didn't know who quickly drug him inside behind the others. And he was grateful for it, still not completely sure how he felt towards Natsu at the moment.

Concern was the less prominent of only two emotions that clearly registered within him as he thought about his salmon haired rival. His best friend certainly hadn't been acting like himself as of late, and the raven haired boy had a hunch that it had something to do with his siblings. He'd always known that what had happened to Wendy had affected Natsu a great deal, though he had a sneaking suspicion that his salmon haired rival was still withholding a lot of his hurt inside, hiding it behind his signature bright grin like he always did.

Anger was the only other prominent emotion that he could distinctly pick out from the turmoil within him; anger over their fight and anger over his refusal to help Lucy. And this anger was different from the rage that normally fueled their common brawls. It was heavy and made his blood boil, and he was fearful of the destruction that he could cause to their friendship if he let it get the better of him.

* * *

Laxus huffed out a breath as he turned to the three teenagers that stumbled to a stop in front of him, his brows quirking in annoyance. A kid had just committed suicide, and dealing with his little brother and his friends wasn't what he needed to be focusing on at the moment.

"Laxus! Laxus! Gray did nothing wrong!" Loke heatedly pointed an accusing finger at the disappearing backs of those he'd brought in with the raven haired boy, "It was all those bastards!"

Natsu was slightly hunched over, huffing from his mad dash to the police station. But his voice was still full of its usual fire as he insisted, "He just went up there to help Lucy and her brother. It wasn't his fault!"

The blond cop let out a heavy sigh, his lips pressing into a grim line, "As much as I'd like to have this whole thing over with quickly, I can't just let him go on your word alone. Someone died today, and we have to do a proper investigation." He scanned his gaze over the three boys, his eyes lingering on his little brother for a few moments longer than the other two, "It'd be best if you all went home for now. If you all truly believe that Gray's innocent, then you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Now stop pestering me and focus on your studies."

He turned and started up the steps to the station without another word, leaving the three friends alone in the parking lot, each of them silently grieving over the lack of the last person who completed their group.

* * *

Jude set his shovel against the cattle enclosure as he felt his phone buzz in his pocket, slipping his gloves free of his hands before he answered, "Hello? Yes, this is Jude Heartfilia."

His brows furrowed in disbelief, the blood in his veins turning to ice at the words of the voice on the other line, "W...what?"

* * *

A bowl slipped from Layla's now limp hands to shatter against the floor, her phone clattering to the ground in the midst of the shards.

She fell to her knees beside the broken mess, her hands clutching at her chest above her heart as sobs consumed her frame.

* * *

Precht's lips pressed into a thin line as he overlooked his congregation, noting in satisfaction that there was a pair of new faces amongst the crowd. Ultear had spoken to him of their arrival, and the Conbolt family's story had immediately piqued his interest.

The single father had come seeking aid for his son, who suffered from an intellectual disability. Life after his wife's death had been hard, and he'd found himself unable to single-handedly support his son in their endeavors. His worry for his child's future had driven him to desperate measures, and so he'd been drawn to the church and its promises of salvation for all of its followers.

With their pasts in mind, the preacher slowly walked through the aisle in the center of the congregation towards the father, his mic clasped in his right hand. He crouched down next to the kneeling man, his voice low as he questioned, "Sir…where do you think evil spirits reside?" At the man's somewhat apprehensive silence, Precht chose to answer the question himself, "They don't have the face of frightful monsters. Evil spirits always surround you, and they approach you, masked behind good-natured faces. At times, as your friend, your spouse, or even your child to lure you in and manipulate your trust."

The father's lips pressed into a grim line as he glanced at his son, whose fingers were absentmindedly twiddling against the cushion beneath him, obviously not paying any attention to the things going on around him, "Then…what should I do?"

Precht held the man's questioning gaze, his voice low as he ministered, "Believe in the Almighty. And…believe in me."

* * *

Lucy swallowed heavily in a fruitless attempt to ease the uncomfortable tightness her throat, tears silently streaming down her own cheeks as she watched her parents give their final goodbyes to their son. Her mother had fallen to her knees, clutching a framed photo of Sting to her chest as she sobbed while her father apologized over and over for not doing enough, his trembling hands resting atop the closed casket.

They'd only received one group of visitors to their room in the funeral home, and Lucy's heart had numbly dropped even further as soon as they'd entered the space. Precht and his apostles were the last people she wanted to see, and if anything, their condolences had only served to upset her parents even further.

Ultear had given Lucy a large bouquet of white flowers while the preacher offered her parents a short sermon before he left, the dark haired apostle vowing that she'd always be there to protect her in the future.

Her promise did nothing to comfort the blonde. She didn't need an apostle who promised salvation and sanctuary. She needed her brother back.

Lucy shoved all thoughts of the dark haired disciple and the preacher aside, her natural instincts to take care of her family kicking in again as she kneeled beside her crumpled mother.

Layla's fingers were absentmindedly tracing over the soft smile on Sting's photographed face, her tears quietly slipping from her skin to patter against the glass.

The blond girl swallowed heavily, her voice slightly hoarse as she placed a hand on her mother's shoulder, "Mom…you haven't eaten anything today. We should go get some food from the cafeteria."

The woman shook her head softly as she quietly choked out, "We…we shouldn't have come here."

"Mom…please-"

"I should've looked after you better. I'm sorry I couldn't do that," she clutched the picture of her son to her chest as she sobbed, "I didn't want to live like my mother…I didn't want to die first and leave my child behind…But in the end…I couldn't even protect my own son." Her face scrunched in sorrow, "I ended up becoming the worse kind of mother there is."

The flow of Lucy's tears resumed as she watched her mother rock back and forth with the picture held tight against her chest.

Jude kneeled beside his wife and pulled her sobbing form into his side, glancing at his daughter as he softly spoke, "Lucy…why don't you take a walk and get some fresh air for a bit? I'll stay here with her."

The blonde nodded softly, sniffling as she stood and left the room.

* * *

Natsu let out a heavy sigh as he pulled his motorcycle to a stop, his lips pressing into a grim line as he glanced at the doors of the funeral home.

He'd come without really thinking much on why he inexplicably had the need to visit the Heartfilia family during their time of mourning, hoping that he'd figure it out the moment he saw Lucy. He had no idea what he was going to say to the blonde, but he figured that apologizing would be a decent start. He knew that no one was placing the blame on him, but he couldn't help but wonder whether or not things would have gone differently had he not refused Lucy's cry for help. If he'd been there, then maybe Lucy would have been able to keep an eye on her brother instead of worrying about Sorano and Sting wouldn't have ended up killing himself. And maybe Gray wouldn't have gotten beaten up as bad as he had and they'd both be sitting in that cell at the police station together instead of the raven haired boy being confined all on his own.

The salmon haired boy shook his head to clear his thoughts as he started up the stairs towards the entrance, knowing that it was pointless to think about the 'what-ifs.' His adoptive father had always taught him to stick to the path he'd chosen with no regrets, and that dealing with things as they were in the present was always more important than wasting time by wishing to go back and change things.

Natsu froze on the very top step when the glass door swung open and the very blonde he'd been searching for stumbled to a stop in front of him. Her red, swollen eyes widened when she saw him standing there, and he reacted similarly, his frame tensing and his throat tightening as he thought over what to say.

Despite his hopes, a proper conversation starter didn't immediately come to mind, his thoughts instead a horrid mess of a thousand different things as he saw the dried tear tracks on her cheeks.

Before he could let himself chicken out, he quietly blurted the simplest of many things that came to mind, "I'm sorry…for the way I acted."

Lucy swallowed heavily, her gaze dropping to the cement beneath their feet as she softly choked out, "Do…did you at least have a reason for it?"

Natsu thought over Zeref and Wendy, or more specially the promise his brother had made him regarding their little sister. He did have a reason, one that fully justified his actions in his mind.

But even though he thought she might understand his reasoning if he told her, he kept his mouth shut, figuring that it wasn't the right time to speak of his siblings when she'd just lost her own.

When it became clear that she'd get no response, the blonde licked her lips as she sniffled, uncomfortably shifting her weight on her feet while her arms wrapped around her middle, "If…if you were going to leave me on my own like that…why did you ask me to be your friend on my first day here?"

Natsu thought back to that moment, his skin tingling with phantom traces of pain in the areas where her volleyball had struck his body. He wasn't quite sure how to put his reasoning for approaching her into words. Yes, part of him had pitied her for being on her own, and another part had felt immediately attracted her to at first glance, because she was irrefutably beautiful and exactly his type, even though he'd never known he had a type until he caught sight of her. But there was so much _more_ to it than just pity and physical attraction, something about her unexplainably beckoning him closer and keeping her on his mind.

Their meeting in the rain that night had to have been fate. There was just no other explanation for it.

Lucy grew impatient at his silence, jumping to conclusions on her own, "It was because you pitied me, right? For being alone?" Her lips pressed into a grim line, all traces of tears and weakness gone from her eyes as she firmly connected her gaze with his, "You can just leave, Natsu."

His brows furrowed at the sudden presence of spite in her voice, "What?"

"I think you made it very clear," she turned her back on him, her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she muttered over her shoulder, "We're not friends, so don't feel like you have to come see me ever again."

She slipped back into the funeral home without another word, leaving the salmon haired boy alone on the front steps, his hands clenched into fists as he thought over what could've been, but would now never be.

* * *

Mest exited the interrogation room just as Lahar let out a heavy, somewhat annoyed sounding sigh, his focus on the cuffed raven haired boy still sitting at the metal table on the other side of the glass window before him, "What did he say?"

The junior detective ruffled through the large stack of papers in his hands, "There seems to have been some violence. The deceased-"

"I heard he was mentally troubled," Lahar cut his subordinate off. "He tried to kill himself a few times back in Crocus, too, it seems. Any CCTV footage?"

Mest shook his head, "There weren't any cameras on the roof."

"He fell on his own, right?"

"According to their testimonies, yes."

Lahar let out another heavy sigh, "Then let those other four kids go."

Mest quirked a brow in shock, haughtily questioning, "Already? But we've only just finished interviewing them. And we haven't even talked to the Heartfilia girl yet."

"I received a call from the school. Their state inspection is coming up, so they asked us not to make a big fuss out of it." The senior detective stood as he gathered his papers from his table, "And if we wrap this up quickly and quietly, it'll be better for their futures."

"But…sir-"

"Don't you agree?" Lahar cut off his protests, obviously trying to get him to just keep quiet and follow through.

Mest caught on to his reasoning, the fact that the Fullbuster boy would be the only one to remain detained giving him everything he needed to figure out what had conspired between his boss and the parents of the other four students, "This is because of Macbeth's father, isn't it?"

Lahar's silent stare was enough of an answer, not a single word slipping from his superior's lips as he finished gathering his things and exited the room.

* * *

Mest tsked to himself as he watched four cars pull away from the station's parking lot, four of the students he'd interviewed leaving completely free of blame with their respective guardians. After meeting their caretakers, he wasn't surprised with how the children acted, each of them more self-conceited and impassive than the last. None of them had earned even a single word of scolding from their guardians, the parents instead turning their heated words on the junior detective and threatening to place the blame on him if their grades dropped, which, judging from the few minutes he'd spent alone with each of the students, didn't have far left to fall.

As they'd exited the station, the kids were all chattering about their plans for the night and where they were going to hang out, none of them expressing any concern over the life that was lost in their presence. He hadn't heard any of them say even a single word about the Heartfilia boy, and they seemed completely unaffected by the idea that they might've been instigators of the sorrow and pain that pushed him towards taking his own life.

He disregarded all thoughts of the case as he tucked a cigarette between his lips, knowing that with his junior position, there was nothing he could do to convince his superiors otherwise. If Lahar had dismissed it and let the kids free, then everything was already settled, and the only matter left to deal with was the raven haired boy still sitting in his lonesome cell in the corner of the station.

"Hey!"

Mest spun around at the sudden call, his brows quirking as a rather angry-looking trio approached him with a pink haired boy at the lead. He looked them over, his cigarette still between his lips as he questioned, "Who the hell are you?"

"Where's Gray?" The salmon haired boy pointed a finger in the direction the four cars had driven in, "Why'd you let them go when my friend's still in there?"

"And who are you to get involved?"

The bespectacled red head stepped forward, punching his friend in the arm as he pronounced, "He's Natsu Dragneel!"

Mest quirked a brow at the familiar name, "Natsu Dragneel?"

"The one and only little brother of Zeref Dragneel, our state's governor," the red head finished filling in, his expression proud.

Mest sighed deep in his throat, wise enough to know that pissing off the governor's little brother wasn't a good decision since he wanted to climb the ranks, "So what? Why are you here?"

The salmon haired boy clenched his jaw, "Why aren't you letting Gray go?"

"We still have to investigate him further."

"What?" the last member of the trio finally spoke, the tan boy's brows pinched together, "Why?"

"He was charged with assault. He won't be released until a settlement is reached, understand?" Mest looked between the three, continuing on with his sentiment when no protest was made, "Now, stay out of my sight. If you want your friend back, don't distract me with your useless pestering anymore."

Loke's brows furrowed as the detective disappeared inside the station, "What did he mean 'assault?' Gray didn't do anything wrong."

Natsu's fists were clenched at his sides, his thought filled with murderous intent towards Macbeth and his friends as he fumed, "Those bastards think they can play victim."

* * *

The breeze cooled Lucy's tears against her skin as she stood near the edge of the drop-off, the hem of her black dress ruffling against her thighs.

The apostles from Zentopia had appeared at the cemetery with their van to take her and her parents home after Sting had been buried, and the blonde girl had shot out of the sliding door and into the woods on the border of their home's property as soon as the van had pulled to a stop. She'd paid no mind to Ultear's cries of her name, desperately needing to be alone, unable to bear the sight of her parents sobbing any longer.

And she didn't want to step foot in the room she'd shared with her twin, the room that would now belong to her and her alone. _His_ empty bed and belongings were still in there, and even though she'd hardly stopped crying since his body had disappeared over the edge, she knew the sight of his things would somehow draw more tears from her already dry, red, and swollen eyes.

The blonde sniffled to herself, swallowing in a futile attempt to ease the tightness of her throat before she looked heavenwards and quietly choked out, "Sting…I'm sorry. I should have protected you better."

She didn't remember much of how she'd arrived at her current destination, her body taking complete control of her existence in her desperate escape from her family. All she could recall was stumbling to stop upon rounding a bend and seeing the forest floor disappear in a dangerous thirty-foot plunge before her, a crazy idea appearing in her head at the sight of the cliff, one that she didn't bother to stop from manifesting itself in her body.

She subconsciously wondered if this is what Sting had felt like as he stood on the edge of the roof, scarily aware that hitting ground would hurt like hell and most likely bring death, but at the same time yearning for the fall, craving to finally feel weightless and free of all the burdens that threatened to crush her beneath their weight.

Lucy took a small step closer to the edge, a dull pain shooting through her bare feet as they settled on top of a loose rock. She'd lost her heels sometime during her run into the forest, but she was too numb to care, her feet already dirtied with the soil of the mountain path.

"Sting…the truth is…"

The dirt crunched beneath her feet as she took another step forward.

"It was really hard to be with you…"

Another step.

"That's why…"

Her foot scuffed against the ground once more, her voice growing more choked as her tears grew heavier in flow, "That why I sometimes…"

She squeezed her eyes shut and took the last step forward, her foot hitting air instead of rock, "Sometimes…I wished…"

Her breath was stolen from her lungs as her wrist was grasped from behind, her eyes widening as she was spun around and pulled into a firm chest, her blood freezing in her veins when her eyes clashed with a pair of malicious, red orbs.

Zancrow feigned concern as he held her against his chest, "Lucy…you should be more careful."

Her breaths quickened as he pulled her closer, their noses only a few inches apart. His hand came to rest on her cheek, his eyes following his thumb as it stroked across her skin, "How could you think of ending it all so soon? Your flower hasn't even bloomed to its full beauty yet."

Lucy whimpered as he tightened his grasp on her wrist, his grip bruising as he dragged her back to her mountainside home, all thoughts of death chased from the blonde's mind as a new form of fear took over.

* * *

Natsu swallowed heavily as he glanced between the two empty desks on either side of him, his thoughts focused on their usual occupants. The seats had been empty for two days now, and things didn't feel right without Gray and Lucy at his sides. The blonde had only been attending their school for a little over a week, but he'd quickly grown accustomed to her presence, a smug grin spreading across his lips every time he glanced her way. And the absence of his raven haired best friend's snoring during their teacher's lectures was something he'd never thought he'd miss, but he found himself unable to focus on Gildarts when the sound that had been so constant was suddenly replaced with silence.

As he glanced at his rival's desk, his gaze was drawn out the window on the other side of the seat as he saw movement, his throat tightening as he caught a glimpse of a gardener setting to work at the flowerbeds on the other side of the courtyard. The old man kneeled over a chalked outline of a body, his gloves quickly dirtying with soil as he replaced the smashed and bloodied white flowers in the garden.

"Hey! Did you hear? Gray got out this morning."

The salmon haired boy had unintentionally eavesdropped on the conversation of the two girls seated in the desks in front of his, but at the mention of his rival, he found himself unable to tear his attention away. His gaze dropped from the gardener to his desk as he continued to listen to their voices, his hands clenching into fists in his lap.

"Really?" the other girl sounded a bit disappointed, as if she'd been hoping for something more interesting to happen, "It's only been two days."

"I guess his charge of assault was withdrawn. I heard he has to write a reflection paper about what happened on the roof and turn it in to the principal. He's been suspended until his paper's approved."

Whispers of the raven haired boy began to spread through the room, and Natsu could barely take it. His classmates had no right to talk about what they thought Gray deserved when none of them had been present during the fight. He hadn't been there either, but he knew without a doubt his best friend wasn't in the wrong. Yeah, he might've roughed Macbeth and his friends up a bit, but they deserved all of the bruises the raven haired boy had given them and then some.

Natsu shot from his desk and started towards the door before the anger that had been constantly building inside of him since Gray had been arrested could finally break free of his grasp, planning on venting out a bit of his anger on the stalls of the boys' bathroom before their rest period was over.

His body went rigid when the classroom door was pushed open before he could get to it, his eyes widening when Gray slipped in from the hallway, his backpack slung over his shoulder and his hands tucked into his pockets like they always were. His school uniform was rumpled and sloppily put together, and Natsu had a feeling that with no other clothes to change into, his rival had been stuck in his uniform since his arrest.

The room went silent as the rest of the students took notice of his entrance, all eyes on Gray as he silently strode towards his desk.

Natsu was still frozen in place, a heavy weight settling in his stomach when his best friend didn't even cast him a glance, their shoulders lightly brushing in passing.

The raven haired boy didn't say a word as he settling heavily into his seat, dumping his backpack onto his desk with his head hung, completely ignoring the stares in his direction.

Something was seriously bothering him, Natsu could already tell, something more than just what had happened on the rooftop.

He'd expected Gray to be upset with him, and maybe they'd even duke it out a bit to ease their frustrations. But he hadn't anticipated that his rival would look so lifeless, so distanced from the world around him that he seemed completely oblivious to everything but his own thoughts.

The chatter in the classroom picked up again all at once, and at the sudden noise, the salmon haired boy snapped out of his paralysis and rushed back to his desk. His chair nearly tipped over as he hurriedly slid into it, but his expression didn't even flinch as he almost toppled over, his feet planting firmly on the ground and one hand anxiously gripping the top of his seatback as he twisted towards his rival. His tentative tone contrasted heavily with his tense posture as he lightly, hesitantly huffed out, "Gray…"

The raven haired boy didn't give any sign that he'd heard him, not even a slight flinch as he kept his gaze dutifully cast towards the floor, his head turned slightly to the left now that Natsu had taken his seat on his right.

Natsu sucked in a breath, ready to spew out all of his apologies and insults at once, saying anything and everything to get his best friend to just do something as simple as _look_ at him. He hated the silent treatment, and he'd decided that Gray was the worst person possible to be receiving it from. He was used to bickering and taunting, not silence and brooding.

But just as the salmon haired boy's lips parted, the door at the front of the room slid open.

Gildarts walked in, his lips pressed into a grim line as he set his stack of teaching materials on his podium, his eyes focused on the raven haired boy in the back corner, "Gray…what are you doing here?"

Everyone's focuses slid to him once more, but he made no form of acknowledgement, his gaze firmly fixed on whatever lay outside the window to his left.

Natsu's hands clenched into fists on top of his desk, his knee nervously bouncing as he mentally urged his best friend to do _something_ other than just sit there. This wasn't the Gray he knew. His rival always fought back against injustice, and seeing him just sit there and refuse to acknowledge anything was internally killing the salmon haired boy.

"If you heard the principal earlier, you should be reflecting at home. You've been suspended." Silence was Gildarts' only answer. Despite his conflicting feelings about the boy's suspension, he was growing impatient over being so openly ignored, "Can't you hear me?"

Natsu suddenly stood, impulsively deciding to take matters into his hands since his best friend didn't seem to want to do much of anything other than shut out the world, "Gildarts, isn't this too much? What did Gray do wrong? Those other jerks should get suspended, not him!"

The teacher sighed deep in his throat, "Natsu, I should send you to the office for disrupting class, but I'm holding back because of your brother-"

Gray's chair screeched against the tile floor as he shot to his feet, roughly slinging his backpack over his shoulder before silently charging out of the room, the door slamming shut in his wake.

The salmon haired boy stared after him in stunned silence for a moment, taken aback by his best friend's sudden shift in behavior. Gray had seemed almost livid as he left the room, his hands clenched into fists and his strides purposeful and tenacious. Natsu hadn't been able to get a look at his rival's face, but he sure his expression would match the atmosphere of the rest of his body, his jaw clenched and his dark irises alight with fury.

He had no idea as to what had brought about the sudden change, but he'd be damned if he didn't find out.

He charged out of the room after his friend, purposefully ignoring Gildarts' voice calling after him. He'd get out of whatever punishment the teacher saw fit to place on him later. He always did because people were afraid of his last name, and this time would be no different, he was sure.

The raven haired boy had continued on with his hurried and tenacious pace, Natsu barely catching a glimpse of his back as he disappeared around a corner at the end of the hallway. He did have some smidgeon of respect for the other classes in session as he jogged to catch up, not shouting after his rival until they'd exited the building.

Gray was already halfway down the path to the front gate of the school when Natsu first called after him, the salmon haired boy quickening his pace now that they were outside and clear of any onlookers.

"Hey! Are you really gonna leave just like that?" Natsu had finally had enough of being ignored, sprinting the rest of the distance between them and grasping onto Gray's shoulder, yanking him around, forcing the boy to face him. His fingers dug into Gray's flesh in his anger, his heated voice still a shout as if his friend wasn't right next to him, "You should do something instead of just taking it! Protest against them! Force them to realize that you did nothing wrong!"

Silence filled the air between them for a moment, and when Gray finally spoke, the salmon haired boy didn't feel relief like he thought he would.

"Natsu..."

His rival's voice was broken and smaller than he'd ever heard it, and when Gray finally lifted his gaze and looked him in the eyes, giving the salmon haired boy his first good look at his friend's face, the fire in Natsu's blood turned to ice. The pain and weakness in Gray's dark blue irises was unparalleled by anything he'd seen in them before. The bags under his eyes were heavy with his obvious lack of sleep, further discoloring his face, right alongside the bruises that still lingered from the fight two days ago. Blood still stained his skin in nasty splotches too, both in the form hardened scabs over scratches and in splatters where it had yet to be cleaned.

He'd never seen his rival look so dead.

"My father…he's nothing more than an abusive alcoholic."

The salmon haired boy's brows furrowed, the remark catching him off guard, "So what? What are you getting at? You told me that your father hasn't touched you in years." His voice grew more heated as his mind wandered off on its own dangerous path, "Did he come after you? I swear to God, if he hurt you again, I'll-"

Gray clenched his jaw as he cut him off, quietly continuing, "My father…isn't a capable man like your brother. They're both our only full-blood relatives left in this world, and they don't even compare. _That's_ what I'm getting at."

Natsu was silent. For years, he'd had a hunch that Gray didn't like his brother much, at least not as much as the raven haired boy liked Wendy. But he'd had no idea that Gray felt like this; had never heard jealousy in his rival's voice as he spoke of Zeref.

"Do you know what people think when they look at you? They think of your great brother and all he's done for the people…And do you know what they think when they look at me?" The raven haired boy let out a bitter chuckle, his eyes involuntarily swimming with angry tears of indignation, "They think of my drunkard, abusive father that pollutes the street with his presence."

Natsu swallowed heavily, his gaze dropping to the ground to avoid having to look into his friend's eyes as they grew misty, "Gray, I-"

"I'm not blaming you for something you can't control. You didn't choose to be Zeref's younger brother, so I can't hate you for that. But you need to understand that not everyone is as privileged as you, and we can't escape blame as easily as you. Especially someone like me." A weighty breath slipped through Gray's lips, his voice thick with emotion, "Even _you_ know that there's no use in protesting against the adults, whether they're a principal, teacher, or police officer. So…" he raised his shoulder, the one that Natsu still had in a death grip, "…just let me go."

The salmon haired boy's hands were lightly trembling as he numbly followed through with his best friend's wishes, his hand absently falling back to his side as Gray turned to walk away, slipping from his grasp.

Had he paid more attention to Gray's feelings, then maybe he wouldn't have bragged about his brother's successes as much, and maybe he'd have spoken less of his family all together. He hadn't thought Gray to be the type of person who would be jealous over the things he didn't have, but now he knew that it was foolish of him to assume that Gray didn't care. Because even if they didn't show it, _everyone_ , no matter how strong and happy they appeared to be, got jealous sometimes.

And maybe if he'd been more considerate, he would have followed Gray up those stairs as the raven haired boy had chased after Lucy, knowing that it must've killed his rival to have felt like his best friend chose Zeref, someone he loathed, over him.

Part of the salmon haired boy wanted to better explain his reasoning, that he'd refused Lucy's pleads for Wendy's sake, so that Zeref could win without any trouble and she might be healed. But he knew that what his rival needed at the moment was consolation, not an explanation.

"Gray!"

The boy slowed to a halt, but didn't turn to face him.

Natsu felt himself get choked up without really knowing why, the prospect of his rival's words to 'just let him go' sending a streak of fear through him and giving him the idea that he was losing his best friend. No matter how unfounded the fear was, it still terrified the shit out of him, so he desperately cried after Gray, tears stinging the back of his eyes, "No one else can define who you are! I've never thought of your father when I looked at you, you bastard! You're my friend and that's all that ever mattered to me!" He thought over how Gray had comforted him on Wendy's birthday a week ago, the words his rival had used resurfacing, "So stand tall!"

Gray slowly turned around, still lacking his characteristic smirk, but at the very least, his face was less pained and sorrowful, not an ounce of loathing or spite in his voice as he yelled back, "Who do you think you are, telling me what to do?! _You_ stand tall!"

The salmon haired boy sniffled, swallowing heavily as his tears turned into tears of relief. With his mind too fuzzy to think of a better come back, he childishly stomped his foot and shouted, "Shut up!" His voice was still slightly choked and laced with remaining bits of anger as he called after his rival for the last time, already thinking over ways he could get revenge on his friend for making him worry so much, "I'll see you later, you bastard!"

Gray's lips quirked as a small chuckle slipped through his lips, lifting a single hand in a wave as he turned his back on his rival, his heart a lot lighter than it had been before as he meandered toward the gate.

* * *

Loke irritably huffed out a breath, plucking a peanut from the platter at the center of their usual table only to chuck it back in a moment later, "Why isn't Natsu here yet? Should I call him?"

Elfman chugged the rest of his cola, slamming the glass back on the table when it had been emptied, "Forget it. You know he's busy because of the election."

The bench across from them creaked as Gray arduously pushed himself to his feet, obviously a little bit tipsy as he swayed, having to grip onto the edges of their table to stay upright.

"Where do you think you're going?" the orange haired playboy quirked a brow.

Gray leaned further over the table, his words slurring together as he mocked, "So sorry, _mom._ May I go to the bathroom?"

Loke's lips twisted in disgust at the term, waving the raven haired boy away in annoyance, "Sure, go ahead."

The drunk boy bowed in mock gratitude, "Thank you, _mom."_

The two boys still seated at the table stared after him a bit nervously as he stumbled away, catching himself on pillars and walls as he staggered towards the restroom.

Loke looked back to Elfman once the boy was out of hearing range, his brows furrowed in concern, "You think he's gonna be okay? He just got expelled and he's smiling like he's lost it. It's freaking me out."

The tan boy shrugged his shoulder as he grabbed a handful of peanuts, "Just give him some time. Gray's a man. He'll get through it."

Loke rolled his eyes in annoyance, pursing his lips, "Of course that's your response."

* * *

Gray let out a weighty sigh as he slumped onto the curb in front of the bar, his elbows coming to rest on his knees and his head falling forward into his hands.

He felt like shit. Drinking was supposed to make feel better. It was supposed to make him forget how hauntingly similar Lucy's brother's body looked to his mother's as they laid dead, blood splattering outwards from their broken forms as they cracked against the ground, having taken the leap that ended their life. He didn't even know the blond boy's name, and yet his face wouldn't leave his head, both during his waking hours and his nightmares.

Drinking had only made him feel worse. As the alcohol slowly ebbed away at his control, he found himself spiraling ever deeper into his misery, the tears closer to falling than they ever had been before.

Seeing his own face in the bathroom mirror, still littered by scrapes and bruises, had nearly sent him over the edge. Reminders of what had happened were everywhere and in everything he looked at, and not even alcohol could wash the horrifying memories away.

He sniffled as he rubbed his eyes tiredly, trying to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall and just wanting the world to stop for a second so he could get a hold of himself and get back up on his feet.

Natsu had been right during their borderline fight in front of the school a few days ago, the salmon haired boy calling him out on his strange behavior. Not even Gray could recognize himself in the scrambled mess he'd become in the matter of only a few days.

The raven haired boy reached into his pocket, pulling out a cigarette and his father's old lighter, once again thinking over the irony of how one of his greatest escapes from the world had once belonged to the man who had made his life hell for years.

He tucked the cigarette between his lips, pausing just as he was about to light it, his focus drawn upwards when a rowdy group of teens exited the bar across the way. They were grinning and laughing without a care, and anger bubbled through his veins just as he recognized them through the haze of the alcohol he'd consumed.

It was _them._

* * *

The doors of the Fairy Tail bar slammed open as Elfman charged through them, his steps hurried as he returned to his friends' usual table from where he'd gone to look for Gray. The raven haired boy had been away for far too long, and when Elfman had found the bathroom void of his presence, he'd gone to the curb behind the bar where Gray usually went to smoke when things became too much to handle. When Elfman arrived at the curb, all he found an unlit cigarette, broken in half and thrown near the rain gutter.

Elfman had looked up just in time to see Macbeth and his friends turning a distant street corner, Gray silently stalking behind them.

He shot through the bar until he saw a familiar tuft of orange hair sticking up over the back of the bench, uncaring of the bar's other patrons as he called, "Loke, come outside, now!"

The playboy lifted a brow, turning to look at him over the high, wooden seatback, "What is it?"

"Just come! I'll explain on the way."

Loke let out a heavy sigh as he pushed himself up, wishing that for _just once_ in his life, his friends would let him drink in peace.

He begrudgingly trudged after Elfman, nearly making it to the door before someone caught the back of his collar from behind.

Cana tightened her grip on his shirt as she haughtily grumbled, "You're not planning on leaving without paying again, are you?"

"Come on, Cana," Elfman nagged. "It's urgent!"

The brunette lifted a brow, speaking through clenched teeth, "Then should I urgently call your parents? You all always act like children, but I never thought I'd have to go this far."

The sound of the bar's doors swinging open filled the space before anyone could respond, Natsu striding through them and slowing to a halt as he caught sight of the situation just inside. His brows furrowed as he picked on the tense atmosphere, his eyes scanning over his friends, "What's going on? Where's Gray?"

* * *

A grunt was forced from Macbeth's lungs as Gray pressed a foot to his chest, shoving him backwards into the shadow of the bridge that ran over them.

It had been easy for the raven haired boy to single out Macbeth and drag him to a place void of any spectators, the black haired boy's friends saying their goodbyes as soon as they'd reached a particular street corner where they all parted ways. Gray had followed after Macbeth for a short time before attacking from behind, pressing a hand tightly over the boy's mouth to muffle his cries for aid as he towed him away from the busy streets.

The raven haired boy buried his fist in Macbeth's jaw as soon the boy managed to stumble back to his feet, his ever-growing anger and drunkenness fueling his violent actions.

Gray sneered at the black lipstick mark on his palm from when he'd pressed it against Macbeth's mouth earlier, his sharp glare snapping to the black haired boy as he shakily pushed himself to his feet yet again. He slowly started closing the distance between them, Macbeth stumbling three steps back for every stride Gray took forward. The raven haired boy's hands were clenched into fists, his bangs partially shading his fierce dark irises as he glowered, "How are you able to smile and laugh when someone died because of you?"

Macbeth swiped the back of his hand against the new cut on his cheek, his lips twitching into a sneer at the blood on his skin. Anger hardened his features, too, but his voice still had an edge of panic to it as he hurriedly hissed, "His death had nothing to do with me. He was insane, and that's all there was to it!" He darted forward with an angry shout, his fist poised to punch.

His lack of covertness made it easy for Gray to dodge his attack, ducking under Macbeth's arm as it swung out in an arc towards him. The raven haired boy plunged his fist upwards as he straightened himself out, following his uppercut with a kick to the chest, shoving him backwards with all the force he could muster.

Dirt flew through the air as Macbeth slammed onto his back.

Gray's lips pulled back in a growl, his features set in a livid scowl as he slowly approached the down boy.

Macbeth scurried backwards, his feet kicking uselessly in the loose dirt as he threatened in a panic, "Don't you know who my father is?!"

The raven haired boy completely disregarded his attempt at intimidation, his eyes still dangerously cold as he lowly spoke through clenched teeth, "I have no interest in your great father."

Black painted lips twisted in a snarl as he chucked a handful of dry dirt at the other boy's face, Gray's hands instinctively flying to his stinging eyes in an attempt to ease the discomfort.

The black haired boy took of advantage of his momentarily blindness and lunged toward him, wrapping his arms around the other boy's middle and tackling him to the ground.

Macbeth straddled his hips and blindly beat at Gray's arms as they came up to shield his head, heatedly lashing out without thinking about hitting his critical points. His punches were hurried and panicked, lacking the power and direction to actually do the raven haired boy much harm.

Dirt was tossed into the air as Gray's hands shot towards the boy's shoulders, using his grip to flip them over and knock the black haired boy's head into the ground painfully. Macbeth wasn't quick enough to block his face, Gray's fist landing on his jaw thrice, each strike growing stronger than the last as he started to lose control of himself, his anger gnawing away at his restraint.

As Gray's arm pulled back for another punch, Macbeth's hands flew up in surrender, his voice fearful and panicked as he desperately pledged, "I'll tell them! I tell them! I'll tell them he died because of me!"

The raven haired boy sneered at the coward he had pinned beneath him, believing that the boy was just trying to stop the beating, pulling his fist back once more.

As soon as his arm was poised to punch again, Macbeth hurried to save his face, "Really! I swear I will!" His voice faded out a fraction, growing more pitiful as he quickly blubbered, "I'm telling the truth. To be honest, after he died, I felt really miserable."

His voice was slightly choked, but Gray knew it wasn't in sorrow for Lucy's brother. It was in cowering fear for his own life.

"I'm really sorry…you got suspended because of me…he died because of me…I'm sorry for everything."

The black haired boy flinched as Gray's fist slammed into the ground right beside his head, the raven haired boy furiously wanting to keep beating him until he was senseless, but knowing what was best, even in his drunken state.

Gray's jaw was clenched, fighting to restrain himself as he ground out, "Go to the police station and tell them right now. Got it?"

"Y-yes," Macbeth pathetically whined, his head desperately nodding in understanding. "I…I've got it."

Gray roughly shoved himself off of the other boy, breathing heavily as he glared down at him for a moment before starting back up the hill towards the road that ran over the bridge above them. His body was exhausted from the skirmish despite its short duration, his lack of proper sleep and the alcohol he'd consumed draining his muscles of their usual power and endurance.

He was briefly aware of Macbeth stumbling to his feet and limping up the hill behind him, his footfalls uneven as they scuffed in the dirt.

"Gray!"

The raven haired boy's brows furrowed at the familiar call of his name, the bushes behind him rustling in the breeze and muffling the sound too much for him to identify the voice.

"Gray!"

That time, he heard the call loud and clear, his brows furrowing as he wondered how the hell Natsu knew where he was. He turned over his shoulder towards where the cry had issued from, his eyes scanning the road that ran parallel to the path he was treading, though he couldn't quite see it yet due to the difference in elevation.

The footsteps that'd been slow and uneven behind him suddenly gained speed, Macbeth's feet pounding against the dirt with renewed vigor.

Gray's gaze lowered just in time to see the black haired boy charging the short distance between them, an old umbrella that the raven haired boy had seen abandoned in the nearby bushes clutched tightly in his grasp. The thought that maybe it hadn't been the wind rustling the bushes earlier momentarily crossed his mind, but soon, all he could process was blinding white pain.

The three-inch, metal tip of the closed umbrella was shoved into his shoulder before he could do anything to stop it, Macbeth following through with the force of his stab and landing on top of Gray as he fell backwards.

The raven haired boy shrieked in agony as the tip was shoved further into his flesh when Macbeth shifted all of his body weight on top of it, his hands splattering with blood as he desperately clutched above where the umbrella disappeared into his flesh in a fruitless attempt to pull it out against Macbeth's weight, dizzying pain shooting through the arm of his injured shoulder as soon as his muscles tensed to fulfill the action.

Painted black lips pulled in a sneer, the umbrella twisting and puncturing even further, "That's right! Scream, you son of a bitch!"

Gray's voice cracked as he screamed again, gasping for air between his howls, winces lacing his heavy breaths.

Macbeth's crimson irises were swimming with delight, his morbid sneer still distorting his features, "I thought you would've learn by now not to stir up any shit since you don't have parents. But I guess you truly are nothing more than a simpleminded peasant. The lowest of them all."

Glass and blood suddenly rained down on Gray from above as a bottle shattered against Macbeth's head. The black haired boy crumpled to the side in pain, his weight slowly sliding from Gray's hips and his face disappearing from the raven haired boy's sight. Instead, Natsu's face now filled the space above him, his hands immediately ridding Gray's body of the foreign object still protruding from his shoulder.

The salmon haired boy worriedly tried to pull him from the ground, his eyes wide and full of panic, "Gray! You okay?!"

The other boy couldn't bring himself to offer any words of reassurance, gasps of pain tumbling from his mouth instead every time he parted his lips.

Natsu slid his arms underneath his rival's armpits to pull him to his feet, the raven haired boy unable to do much to help, his body jerking forward in pain whenever Natsu's hand slipped too close to his wound. The salmon haired boy wrapped his friend's arm over his shoulder once he was somewhat on his feet, choosing to abandon the fight for the sake of getting the other boy medical help. He could deal with Macbeth later, when he didn't have to worry about his friend's injury. Gray unintentionally fought against his tugs, his body involuntarily hunching over in pain as he blindly stumbled through his hazy thoughts.

A battle cry ripped through the air behind them, and despite his pain, Gray reacted before Natsu could, shoving the salmon haired boy aside before ducking to wrap his arms around Macbeth's waist to stop the boy's charge, a large, heavy rock in the black haired boy's grasp. Their balance fell victim to their colliding forces and weakened bodies, their feet slipping in the loose dirt beneath them as they crumpled sideways.

Natsu scrambled to catch himself, his arms shooting from where they had been entangled around Gray to hurriedly cushion his forced tumble and keep his face from smacking against the ground. His hands stung with the impact, but he paid them no mind, scurrying on his hands and knees to see what had become his friend. His gaze traveled upward just in time to see Gray's and Macbeth's bodies disappear over the ledge of the path, dust flying up in their wake.

He scrambled to his feet when he heard two large thuds at the bottom of the hill, desperately crying out, "Gray!"

A relieved breath slipped from his lips when he immediately caught sight of his friend, the raven haired boy groaning in pain, but at least void of any broken bones or other visible injuries other than scratches and bruises. Of course the wound on his shoulder was still bleeding profusely, but the salmon haired boy was relieved that he hadn't received any more, possibly even worse injuries.

Gray grunted as he tried to push himself up, his head lifting towards where he thought Macbeth had fallen to after they'd broken apart during their tumble. His dark blue eyes widened and his breaths slowed to a near halt when he caught sight of the black haired boy.

Natsu's focus followed his friend's horrified gaze, a heavy weight plunging in his stomach at the sight.

Macbeth's body was bent over a pointed rock, his pelvis unnaturally arched higher than the rest of his splayed out, bloodied body. One of his hands was fidgeting in the dirt, choking sounds accompanying the blood that slipped from his mouth to poor down his cheeks and neck, staining his clothes and the dirt beneath him a terrifying red.

* * *

 **AN**

 **Our first cliffy~ I'm trying not to have too many of those since there's a week between updates and I don't want to torture you all too much.**

 **Ah, the bromance. It'll only get better from here on out**

 **And have no fear, Lucy's feelings to Natsu will change as the story progresses. Like I've said before, Nalu is endgame.**

 **I'd also like to address something mentioned in a PM I received after the last chapter just to clear up some confusion: The scenes with Sting and Macbeth and his friends weren't meant as implied rape. I was kind of vague with them simply for the sake of keeping things T, but now I see that that decision kind of backfired and there were a few people who misinterpreted my ambiguity. So just to clear things up, Sting was not raped, but he was forcefully striped.**

 **The next chapter is kind of the final chapter before the** _ **real**_ **story begins and the cult becomes more important to the plot. The upcoming events will set up the rest of the story, and from that point on, our characters will start to develop more and things will get really complicated.**

 **As always, I hope to hear your thoughts and thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6: Sinking Friendships

**Chapter Six**

 **Sinking Friendships**

"I'm sorry," Lucy quietly breathed out, her voice slightly choked. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pulled her knees into her chest, "It was because of me. I should've protected him better."

Her mother didn't seem to be aware of a word that she said, her eyes unfocused and her pale face void of any emotion.

Her father was seated on the floor of their home next to his wife, his face similarly emotionless, but the blonde girl knew he was listening, his eyes giving him away.

Layla suddenly licked her lips, her voice hoarse from her sobbing as she mumbled out in somewhat of a daze, "Lucy..."

The blonde sniffled, slight surprise racing through her as she realized that maybe her mother was listening after all. But she quickly dismissed the thought as she looked over at the woman, her mother's tear filled eyes tiredly trained on the door of their house, something akin to hope coming to life on her features, "Open the door, dear."

Lucy confusedly glanced at the door, "I…why?"

Her mother's breathes quickened, her tone growing more insistent, "Open the door. Your brother can't come in if the door's shut."

At the remark, Jude sorrowfully looked to his wife, worriedly setting a hand on her arm, "Honey-"

She tugged her arm out of his grasp, her gaze still urgently glued to the door as she dug her fingers into his shoulder, desperately trying to shove him to his feet, "Honey, open the door for him! Sting can't get in!"

Jude pushed himself to his knees and faced his wife, gripping her forearms and gently shaking her in an attempt to earn her attention, his voice soft at first as he called, "Honey." At her lack of response, he grew more instant, his voice rising in volume, "Layla!" Her eyes snapped to him at the cry, his voice growing softer once more as he sorrowfully whispered, "Our son…is no longer here."

She stared at her husband with wide eyes as if in disbelief before she broke, sobs consuming her once again as she beat weakly at his chest, his hands slipping from her forearms, "We shouldn't have moved! You promised us we'd lived happily here!" Her words turned into unintelligible mumbles as her voice succumbed to her weeping, her hands still exhaustedly beating at his chest.

Jude silently took the abuse, his head falling forward.

Lucy swallowed heavily as she crawled over to her mother from where she'd been resting her back against the wall. She tucked her legs underneath herself as she wrapped her arms around the older woman, Layla fragilely collapsing into her as she feebly reached towards the door, "Look at your brother, Lucy! Don't you see how much he's shaking?! How could you leave him out there?!"

The blonde only pulled her mother tighter into her chest, her own tears resuming their flow for the hundredth time since her brother's body had slipped over the edge.

* * *

Zeref pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger, huffing out a heavy breath as Dimaria returned from the phone call she'd made, "How bad is it?"

"The doctors were able to save the boy's life, but he may never walk again."

He swallowed heavily, letting out another deep sigh, "And are you sure that Natsu was at the scene?"

His assistant nodded her head, "Yes. He appeared running towards the fight in a nearby streetlight's CCTV footage."

The black haired man's lips pressed into a thin line, his fingers running along the leather interior of the car, "What about the union? Do they know that Natsu was involved in this situation?"

"The police are staying quiet about his involvement. They're saying that the Fullbuster boy was the only one there."

Zeref huffed out a heavy, relieved breath.

"You know what we have to do right?" Dimaria started after giving her boss a moment to be relieved. "We have to make the Fullbuster boy take the fall for the crime if you want your brother's involvement to go unnoticed."

Zeref's eyes widened as he looked back over at his assistant, his mind already running over how much doing such a thing would hurt his younger brother. Gray had been charged with attempted murder, the fact that he was only eighteen and the lack of a firearm saving him from being treated like an adult in the examination of the case. But his drunkenness had done little to help prove his innocence, and if he was found guilty, he'd be sent to juvenile detention up until his twenty first birthday.

To go without his best friend for three years would absolutely destroy Natsu.

Dimaria grew impatient at his silence, "Don't you know how important the union's votes are? We can't lose them because of this."

Zeref shook his head, licking his lips, "But, Natsu-"

"We can get the Fullbuster boy out after you win the election," she cut him off. "As governor, you'd have the power to do it."

The candidate thought over the situation, his hand tiredly rubbing his eyes as he quietly questioned, "Who's the officer in charge?"

* * *

Mest's eyes were nervously snapping from point to point as he followed the blonde lady through an old restaurant that looked to be near abandonment, only a few customers filling a small portion of the cracked, wooden tables. He was incredibly apprehensive about his forthcoming meeting, or rather, he was more anxious about _who_ he was meeting. It seemed like too much of a coincidence that he'd met the younger brother only a few days before, and just this morning he'd received a phone call from the assistant of the man himself, asking to meet with him later that evening.

He followed the blonde woman around a corner and came face to face with his appointment, swallowing heavily as he caught sight of Zeref Dragneel waiting for him, seated at an isolated table in the corner of the restaurant.

The woman, Dimaria if he remembered what she'd said on the phone correctly, took the liberty of introducing him to the governor, "This is detective Mest Gryder, the one I told you about."

Zeref stayed seated, a polite smile on his face as he invited, "Please…have a seat. You haven't had dinner yet, have you?"

Mest nervously slid into the seat across from the man, quietly answering, "No, I haven't."

"Sir, could you get us two bowls of cow hide soup?" Zeref called to the old man seated in the corner, whom Mest hadn't even realized was there.

As the man left to fulfill the order, the detective nervously glanced down, silently wondering when the governor would cease with the pleasantries and get down to business.

Zeref clasped his fingers together on top of the table, leaning forward slightly with an amiable grin on his features, "How long has it been since you came here from Crocus?"

"Three years."

The governor nodded in understanding, glancing over at his assistant as she handed him a phone, "He's on the line."

Zeref accepted the phone and pressed it to his hear, his smile audible in his voice as he greeted, "Ah, Lahar."

Mest's eyes widened at the mention of his chief's name.

"I've heard that you're hiring a new team leader. Don't you think this county's division should be led by an experienced man from Crocus?" Zeref let out a soft chuckle at something the other man said, "I know of a capable man. Would you allow me to make a recommendation for the good of our county?"

The detective's lips pressed into a grim line, fully aware that Zeref wanted him to hear this conversation and that the governor was baiting him by offering him exactly what he wanted.

And damn, was it hard to resist. He'd been fighting to work his way up the ranks for years, constantly being forced to transfer stations and start over again. A little help from someone with a significant amount of power was just the thing he needed to get himself out of the endless loop he'd fallen into.

Mest tuned out Zeref's voice as he exchanged a few more pleasantries over the phone before giving his farewells, the detective's eyes glancing in Dimaria's direction and catching her gaze by chance. Her sharp smile and the clenching of her fingers around the edge of her clipboard let him know that she was aware of his understanding of the situation, her cold gaze keen and calculating.

Zeref was still grinning at Mest as he handed the phone back to his assistant, and the detective knew that he and the governor were on the same page as well. But still, Zeref smiled as if their meeting was nothing more than a simple pleasant exchange, not acknowledging any of the bait he'd just laid before the detective with his phone call, "From what I've heard, you're in charge of yesterday's case involving the union president's son, Macbeth."

Mest quirked a brow, having not expected the governor to go in that direction.

"I heard about it from my brother, and he said he coincidentally passed by and witnessed it. Is that true?"

"Yes. We have the CCTV footage of the attacker following behind the victim before their fight under the bridge. I just need your brother to testify as a witness at the police station about what happened off camera. Then, we can settle this for good."

Zeref let out a heavy sigh of confliction, "Well, you see…my brother is very shocked by the incident. I wish for him to forget about it as soon as possible. Is there any other way?"

Mest lowered his gaze for a moment, fully aware of Zeref's true motives: to get his younger brother untangled from the case for the sake of winning the election without any mishaps to deter his success. But despite his knowledge of the governor's motivations, he found himself tempted to go along with the Zeref's wishes, his terror of the man's power and his desire for that higher ranking position ebbing away at his normally just rationale.

"Oh..." the detective cleared his throat as he settled his thoughts. He'd always been a fair, righteous man when it came to dealing with his cases, but maybe one little slip wouldn't hurt him too bad. Besides, the Dragneel kid hadn't appeared much on the CCTV footage, only running down the street a few minutes after the other two. "Then…please send his statement by mail instead and I'll take care of the rest."

Zeref grinned as he shared a glance with his assistant, pleased that Mest had played right into their hands. By sending the statement in the mail, the details could easily be fabricated without the human component of the statements visible to give their lies away, and this way, Natsu would never have to know about what they'd done.

Mest pressed his lips into a grim line. With the younger Dragneel out of the picture, there would be no witnesses to testify, and the blame would easily fall onto the Fullbuster boy's shoulders.

"Please investigate it fairly so that no one is wrongfully punished."

The detective nodded, satisfied to note that he seemed to have pleased the man, "Of course. It'll be a fair investigation."

The old man returned with the cowhide soup and set it on the table before them, Mest retching back a bit at the strange smell.

Zeref's lips quirked in a small smile, "Let's eat together time to time from now on. I have a feeling that we'll work very well together."

* * *

"I'm curious…Why are you taking care of that family from Crocus?"

Precht's lips pressed into a thin line at Zancrow's sudden inquiry, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked up at their church, the structure finally completed down to the fine details. His tone was somewhat sour as he answered his apostle's question, unhappy with having to explain his reasoning time and time again, "Because the Almighty has commanded us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves."

Zancrow cackled to himself, a malicious smirk quirking his lips as he lowered his voice to a snide whisper, "Let's be honest. It's because of the daughter, isn't it? Does she give you the same thrill that she gives me?" His hands curved through the air in front of him, biting his lip as he traced an hour glass figure in the empty space.

Irritation lined the preacher's features, but otherwise, his face was void of emotion, "In regards to everything financially related to Zentopia, I left it all to you, didn't I?"

Zancrow quirked a brow, "Yes. What of it?"

Precht's voice held an inkling of restrained anger, "Then, regarding the work of saving souls…you haven't forgotten that you left it up to me, have you?" His eyes traveled to the illuminated red cross that sat atop the steeple of his church, humming deep in his throat as he evenly remarked, "Lucy…is a chaste virgin who will help us board the Ship of Salvation."

Zancrow chuckled under his breath, satisfied with his master's plans for the girl as he licked his lips hungrily, lustfully cackling to himself, "A virgin."

His sinister laughs echoed through the open area in front of the church as Precht disappeared into the building, the area ever bathed in the eerie red light of the glowing cross suspended high in the air above.

* * *

Ultear glanced behind her as she sat at the Heartfilia's kitchen table across from the father and daughter of the family, quietly beginning, "If you don't mind me asking, why did you leave the front door open?"

Lucy peeled her gaze from the cup of coffee in her hands to look over at the apostle, thinking of the woman resting in the other room, "My mom said she felt stuffy."

The dark haired woman nodded quietly in understanding, her eyes sympathetic as she remarked, "Our Spiritual Father has left town for a bit, and in his absence he asked me to watch after your family. Please, let me pray for your mother." She slid out of her chair and kneeled on the floor next to the table without another word, her head already bowed and hands clasped in front of her chest.

"Lucy," Jude lightly set his hand on his daughter's thigh, turning his gaze to her as he swallowed heavily, "Let's join her in prayer for your mother."

He pushed himself from his chair and kneeled on the floor after delivering his sentiment, his head bowing and eyes sliding shut.

Lucy was a bit more hesitant, thinking about the last time she'd let someone from Zentopia pray for her. The preacher had taken advantage of the lack of eyes on him and molested her, and she'd been too petrified to do a thing about it.

But this time, Precht wasn't here, and she didn't have the will to protest against her father's wishes, the blonde numbly sliding onto her knees and letting her tired, heavy eyelids fall shut.

Ultear cleared her throat before quietly and respectfully opening her prayer, "Our dear Almighty, who is our eternal savior…Today, the Heartfilia family's hearts are afflicted with pain and misery, but they do not look for comfort and futile answers from this world. Please be with them, and remind them that you are the only savior in this life who can solve their problems and ease the pain in their broken hearts. I say these things in the name of my love, my savior, my dear Almighty…Amen."

At the close of her prayer, she reached around a leg of the table to lightly rest her hand on Jude's, "Fear not, my brother, for the Almighty is with you."

He swallowed heavily in an attempt to ease his tightening throat, the corners of his eyes crinkles in sorrow, "My wife…she thinks that our son passed away because I'm incapable."

Lucy blinked to clear her eyes of the tears that gathered, recalling how she'd overheard her mother screaming at her father in their bedroom the previous night. Of course her parents had their disagreements every now and then, just like every other couple did. But last night's argument had been a one-sided beat down unlike any she'd ever heard from them before. Her mother's words had never been so malicious, and her father too exhausted to come to his own defense.

"If my business hadn't gone bankrupt back in Crocus," Jude quietly continued, "she thinks that our family wouldn't have gone through this pain."

Ultear smiled comfortingly at the Heartfilia patriarch and his daughter, "The Almighty has a reason for happiness and misery. Through this ordeal, the Almighty is simply preparing you for what he has in store. Let us continue to pray, and regain strength as you wait patiently to see what your futures hold."

* * *

After their daily visit with Wendy, Natsu had asked Zeref to take a walk with him through the hospital's gardens, Dimaria now quietly following behind them as she talked with someone on the phone.

They strolled silently while the salmon haired boy struggled to build up the courage to ask his older brother what he wanted, swallowing heavily before he tentatively began, "Zeref…"

A knowing look appeared on his brother's face, his hands clasped behind his back as he continued to walk forward at a leisurely pace, "This is about Gray, isn't it?"

Natsu softly nodded his head, his voice troubled, "Yeah…He really didn't do anything wrong. I saw it all. What happened to Macbeth was an accident, I swear."

Zeref smiled softly at his brother, "I trust you, Natsu. I really do. But even if the incident that night really was an accident, it's clear that the horrific outcome was a result of Gray's actions, right? We can't look at it so simply. We have to be critical when examining the evidence."

"But the detective in charge of the case has been ignoring my calls. And every time I go to the station he refuses to see me." He clenched his jaw, "If they won't hear me out beforehand, then I'll testify in court."

The governor slowed to a stop, turning to face his younger brother, "What?"

"If the police won't hear me out, then I'll make sure the judge does," Natsu insisted. "I'm not going to let them exclude me anymore when I'm the only witness."

Zeref's gaze fell to the ground, "I know how you feel. But regarding Gray…I'll get him out when I win the election."

Natsu's eyes widened at his brother's statement, appalled at the idea of just abandoning his friend and letting him be taken away.

Zeref raised his gaze, firmly making eye contact with his brother, "I absolutely will not allow you to testify in court."

The salmon haired boy's features were hard like stone, "This is because Macbeth's father is the union president, isn't it?"

"That's right," the governor nodded solemnly. "He's incredibly angry because of what Gray did to his son, and if you testify in favor of him before the election, I could very well lose."

Natsu completely understood his brother's concerns, but his knowledge did nothing to calm his frustration, "And would that really be such a bad thing? Will you really be that upset if you don't win?"

"Natsu," Zeref firmly warned, his expression growing more irritated. He refused to hear any more of his brother's complaints, "The reason I'm running is not for myself, but for Wendy and you, too. If I win, I can better help her get back on her feet. Our family can be whole again. Isn't that what you want, too?"

The salmon haired boy lowered his gaze as he nodded softly, unable to deny his desire to have things back to normal. He missed his little sister dearly, and he'd do anything to help her heal and return to normal.

Dimaria suddenly stepped forward before either of the boys could make further comment, a satisfied grin on her features as she informed her boss, "Governor Dragneel? It's ready."

* * *

Natsu's eyes widened as he entered Wendy's hospital room at his brother's flank, his brows furrowing at the group of people standing on the other side of Wendys' bed. His wide eyes were quickly snapping towards his brother, his jaw clenching as camera flashes lit up the room at inconsistent intervals.

Zeref feigned surprise as he ignored his brother's glare, humbly smiling and looking over the reporters and lightly chiding, "My, did you have to follow me here as well?"

A female stepped forward and held her mic out to him, smiling brightly, "We heard that you visit your sister every single day. Every second is precious right now, so doesn't this affect your electoral schedule?"

The salmon haired boy's lips pressed into an upset, thin line as Zeref softly chuckled and strode to Wendy's bedside. He glanced back at Dimaria, his fists clenching at the pleased smile on her face. Zeref had no right to use their sister to gain the media's attention and win over people's votes, no matter how heart wrenching the situation was.

The governor gently took Wendy's limp hand between his own, giving the reporters his best smile as their cameras flashed, "I cherish my younger siblings the most out of everyone in the entire world."

Natsu uncomfortably shifted his feet at the insincerity of the statement, knowing that although the words might've held truth, they were used to put on a show for the press.

"I'll use the same heart that loves my brother and sister to cherish and love the citizens of state, I promise."

The salmon haired boy stormed out of the room before he could hear any more of his brother's sentiment, knowing from the grin Dimaria had given him as he'd passed that it was her idea to take advantage of his little sister, her eyes alight with brimming satisfaction and pride.

* * *

Gray let out a heavy breath as he settled in his seat, his eyes exhaustedly lifting to the two on the other side of the window before him. He was being held at the county's central detention center, forced into a light tan jumpsuit as if he already was a prisoner. An official verdict on his case had yet to be reached, but that didn't stop the guards from treating him just like every other criminal they had locked in this place.

Figuring that the raven haired boy wasn't going to speak first, Loke bluntly growled, "Damn it, you look like shit."

Elfman roughly elbowed him in the side, chastising the orange haired boy under his breath.

Gray looked his friends over, his lips pressing into a grim line at the signs of sleep deprivation on their features. He could tell that they worried despite their strong, somewhat angry expressions, but he kept silent on the matter, knowing that he didn't look much better himself.

His eyes glanced between the two, Elfman picking up on his silent question and filling him in on Natsu's absence from their group, "He's busy because of his brother's election. The trial's tomorrow, right?"

Gray solemnly nodded his head, thinking over the uncertainty of his future. It all depended on Natsu's testimony. Of course the raven haired boy trusted his idiot best friend, but Natsu's older brother was a different case entirely.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Loke's smiled softly in reassurance, "Natsu's the witness. After he gives his testimony tomorrow, it'll all be settled and over with. So don't worry, you'll be out of there soon."

Elfman smiled warmly, "We stopped by your house today and brought your grandma some food that Mira and Lisanna made. We'll watch out for her and make sure she gets everywhere safely until you're released."

Gray softly nodded his head, his voice slightly choked as he muttered his first words of the exchange, "Thanks, guys. You're the best friends a guy could ask for."

* * *

The day of the trial had come sooner than Natsu wanted it to, and here he was, still undecided about what he was going to do and sitting uselessly on the edge of a dock, his tennis shoe clad feet dangling above the water.

He jumped from his daze when his phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling it out and mindlessly tracing his fingers across the screen to unlock it. He swallowed heavily as he read over the text from his orange haired friend.

' _You're coming to Gray's trial, right? We'll wait for you at the main entrance.'_

His fingers curled tightly around the edges of his phone, his hand shaking from the strain. But he paid it no mind, his thoughts focused elsewhere.

He hated the decision the world had placed before him, feeling like he was being forced to choose between his siblings and his best friend. If he chose to testify to Gray's innocence, then Zeref would likely lose the union's votes and therefore the election, and without the power and money that came along with being governor, Wendy might not be healed. But if he chose to forgo the trial and appease his brother's wishes, then his brother would undoubtedly be reelected with the reassurance that he would get Gray out of his containment and put all of his effort into helping Wendy get back on her feet.

One meant betraying his best friend, and the other meant ruining his brother's dreams and decreasing the chances of Wendy getting better.

His phone buzzed four times in the matter of only a few seconds.

' _Why aren't you answering?'_

' _Did something happen?'_

' _Gray's gonna be in big trouble if you don't show.'_

' _You're his best friend, aren't you?'_

His jaw clenched as he read over the last message, his mind made up as he shot to his feet and strode down the pier, shoving his helmet back onto his head and mounting his motorcycle before speeding back towards town.

* * *

Gray simply let the cops shove him towards the steps into the bus, his cuffed hands dangling uselessly in front of him. He didn't bother fighting back, all of his hope and trust and will slowly ebbing away with time.

He quickly cast a glance over his shoulder and did one last scan of the parking lot of the courthouse, his heart dropping even further at the lack of the sight he craved for as he mounted the first step.

His witness, his only hope, his best friend…Natsu hadn't come, and now he was being sent away, forcefully shoved into a little concrete corner of the world for three years, his youth wasting away as he suffered for a crime he didn't commit.

* * *

Natsu leaned as far as he could without tipping his bike as he weaved through traffic, ignoring the horns sounding in his wake and persisting with his reckless behavior, flexing his wrists to rev his bike and urging it go faster.

He rounded a bend in the road, his jaw clenching as he caught sight of the big, blue bus he'd been looking for. It was one car ahead of him, and despite the truck approaching from the other direction, he swerved to get around the car in his path, tuning out their horns and just barely squeezing back into his lane as the truck sped past. He heard the driver that was now behind give an angry shout out their window, but he paid them no mind, flexing his wrists once more.

He sped up to travel along the side of the bus, his eyes hurriedly scanning each of the windows as he passed them, his jaw clenching when he found who he was looking for seated five windows from the back.

The salmon haired boy slowed his motorcycle to match the speed of the bus for a moment as he continued to stare, but soon, he was speeding up again, swerving in front of the bus and slamming on his brakes. The bus screeched to a halt behind him as he nudged out his stand with his foot, carelessly throwing his helmet to the pavement as he charged towards the back of the bus.

* * *

Gray's hands flew up to catch himself as his body vaulted forward into the back of the seat in front of him, the brakes of the bus screeching as the driver pulled the vehicle to a sudden stop.

He looked around the seat in front of him to see the cause of their unexpected pause, his gaze immediately dropping to the ground as soon as he caught sight of the familiar motorcycle abandoned in front of the bus. And sure enough, he saw the bike's rider charging back towards his window in his peripherals, tanned hands quickly banging on the window on his left.

Gray hung his head, angling his chin slightly away from the boy on the other side of the window.

This was the second time Natsu had betrayed his trust, and this time, Gray didn't know he could give his best friend his forgiveness, or if the salmon haired boy even deserved it in the first place.

* * *

"Gray!" Natsu's breaths were short and quick as he anxiously shouted, his hands ceaselessly banging on the glass right next to his friend's seat, "Look at me, Gray Fullbuster!" He grew more desperate in his pleading at his rival's lack of response, his hands clenching into fists and banging on the window even harder. He knew damn well that Gray could hear him, but just like the day the raven haired boy came to school after his suspension, his rival was flat out ignoring his cries, his gaze instead turned aside.

Natsu had been fully intent on going to testify, but to his chagrin, he'd arrived to the court house just in time to see the bus pull away. His contemplation had taken too long, his decision made far too late.

He breathed heavily for a moment to forcibly calm himself, swallowing heavily as he thought over the words that had become sort of a 'thing' for him and his best friend, his voice firm as he urged, "Stand tall, Gray."

Two guards had shuffled from the bus and charged around its front toward him, their arms wrapping around his and dragging him away from the window. He kept his gaze steadfastly focused on his best friend as he struggled and tugged against them, kicking his feet through the air as he was pulled away from the bus. But his panic made his attempts at escape useless, his efforts to reassure the raven haired boy growing more desperate as he was torn away, his voice breaking as he came close to tears, "I'll get you out, Gray! So wait for me!" His tears finally slipped free as his struggle to both break free of the guards and comfort his best friend continued, his voice choked as he screamed, "I'm sorry, Gray! I'm so sorry!"

The raven haired boy kept his gaze dutifully cast to the side, swallowing heavily when the bus started up again and drove off, listening to his best friend's screams fade into silence.

* * *

"Here," Ultear smiled amiable as she set the opened lunch box before Jude. Her face suddenly lit up in realization, humming softly as she turned to reach into her bag, "Oh, wait just a moment." She withdrew a small, travel-sized bottle with a golden lid, her features bright, "I have to sprinkle this on the food first."

Jude's brows furrowed in confusion.

"It's water that has been blessed by our Spiritual father," the dark haired apostle explained happily. "It makes the food taste better and will cure you of any disease and heartache."

He was a bit disbelieving, but he thanked her quietly as she sprinkled the water onto his food anyways.

She slid another two lunch boxes towards him, "These are for you to take home to your wife and Lucy when you're finished with work today. I imagine that they're not eating well these days either."

Jude licked his lips, hesitant as he inquired, "If you don't mind me asking…why are you all so kind to us? We have nothing to give you in return."

Ultear simply smiled, pleased that his question gave her a chance to preach, "It's because of the Almighty. It wasn't a coincidence that we met, Mr. Heartfilia. Everything happens through the power of the Almighty. Our Spiritual Father received revelation that guided us to your family, and we were commanded to protect you and treat you as our own kin. We won't be leaving your side any time soon, and you can always count on us to be there."

* * *

Cheers erupted from everyone in the room as Natsu walked through the door, his classmates flying from their seats to congratulate and applaud him.

The results had been announced the previous day, and as expected, Zeref had won the election, reinstated in his position as governor for another four years.

The salmon haired boy wanted to be happy for his brother and feel relieved now that the attention would shift to Wendy's treatment, but he couldn't stop thinking about Gray, the way his best friend had completely ignored his cries haunting his every thought.

Some of the boys in the room came to give him a few friendly nudges on the back, and he only managed to give them the smallest of smiles in return. Months ago, when he'd envision this moment, the moment when his brother won, he'd wanted to proudly greet his peers with a bright smile. But now, as he appeared before them, his eyes were tired and drooping with dark bags from his lack of sleep, all attempts at anything more than a small grin incredibly drained and lacking his usual, characteristic vigor.

He slid himself into his seat once his classmates had shuffled back into their own groups and conversations, his onyx eyes traveling to the empty desk at his left, the one where his best friend always sat. It'd be empty for who knew how long, and constantly present in his peripherals to remind him of his failure to save his friend. To him, the worst part of the whole situation was that all he could do now was trust in Zeref's promise of setting the raven haired boy free.

The classroom suddenly went silent as the door was pushed open, and Natsu's focus slid in the direction of the entrance, knowing that it was too early for the newcomer to be their teacher. Ice shot through his veins when his eyes found Lucy, her downcast gaze and heavy silence reminding him of how Gray had carried himself on the day he'd entered the classroom after being suspended. It was the first time the salmon haired boy had seen her at school since her brother's death, and the effects of the aforementioned event were heavily present in her features.

Natsu couldn't tear his gaze from her as she filled the empty desk at his right, his eyes still wide and his lips pressed into a grim line as he thought over what had occurred between them during their last exchange. Despite his hardheadedness, he knew that she'd been right. With the way he'd acted towards her, he had no right to be concerned about her now and call her his friend, and with yesterday's events, he'd lost the privilege of friendship with Gray, too.

* * *

Lucy swallowed nervously as she walked through the bar, her eyes anxiously darting around the wooden structures. It was her first time being in such a place. She'd overheard Natsu and Gray talk about this bar in particular countless times, and she knew that it was their most common hang out spot on the weekends.

Her hands were anxiously clenched into fists at her sides as she made her way through the tables, finally spotting a mop of salmon hair in the very back corner.

She briefly paused in her steps when she saw him, and as if he felt her gaze, he looked up, his face going slack when their eyes made contact, the hand holding his drink to his mouth slowly falling back to the table.

At his sudden blank stare, the two people seated across from him followed his gaze, looking at her over the back of their bench. She recognized them as Loke and Elfman, the two boys that had been with Natsu and Gray that night in the rain and completed their group of four.

She swallowed heavily as she rounded the bench, coming to stand at the end of their table with her fists still clenched tightly at her sides.

Natsu glanced at her quickly before dropping his gaze back to the table, "How'd you know we were here?"

Lucy pressed her lips together, completely ignoring his question. She didn't have any desire to make conversation with him, immediately setting out on fulfilling the reason she'd come to the bar in the first place, "I want Gray's number."

Natsu stared at her in silence for a second, something akin to guilt flashing across his features at the name as his gaze slowly dropped to the table.

Loke suddenly cleared his throat, drawing her attention, "Gray can't be reached for the time being."

She furrowed her brows, "What do you mean?"

"Well, the thing is…" the orange haired boy hesitantly glanced at his two friends, letting out a single, nervous laugh under his breath, "…How should I explain it?"

"Gray…" Natsu started firmly, his gaze still steadfastly trained on the table, "has been taken to a juvenile detention center."

Her gaze snapped back to him, her eyes widening, "What? Why?"

The salmon haired boy swallowed heavily, his eyes tearing up, "Because of me."

She stared at him in silence, Loke's head falling forward as he let out a deep sigh.

Natsu reconnected their gazes, his voice unwavering as he lowly remarked, "Gray's arrest. Your brother's passing. Macbeth's accident. All of it…it's all my fault."

* * *

Gray momentarily froze in his steps upon following the guard through the door to the visiting stalls, his mind going blank as soon as he caught sight of who was waiting for him on the other side of the glass window. He hadn't seen her since that day on the roof, nor had he heard even a whisper about her well-being after her tragic loss.

The guard nudged him forward and he complied, his gaze dropping to the floor as he took a seat across from her. For some reason, he felt like he didn't have the right to look her in the eye. She'd desperately pleaded for his help, and he'd failed her. The haunting image of her twin's bloodied, broken body lying in a bed of blood-splattered, white flowers was permanently etched in his memory as proof of his failure.

But he figured he owed it to her to listen to what she had to say, even if he really just wanted to forget about the entire ordeal as soon as possible, although he knew that such a feat was a hopeless cause.

He skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the chase as he lifted his gaze to hers, knowing since that first night he'd caught sight of her that she was just like him and didn't want to dally in the unnecessary bits of conversation, "Why are you here, Lucy?"

The blonde swallowed heavily, her eyes still boring into his like they had been since he'd first walked through the door, "I…never got to apologize…or say thank you. I didn't get a chance to say anything."

Gray lowered his head, knowing that she must be feeling obligated and indebted to him somehow. He didn't think he deserved her apologies nor her gratitude, not after what he'd done to Macbeth, "You don't need to say anything."

Lucy hurriedly shook her head, leaning forward as she persisted, "I survived thanks to you."

He could nothing more than stare back her blankly, not having expected such a sentiment to have tumbled from her lips in his direction.

"If you hadn't helped me that day…" her voice became choked and her eyes stung with the beginnings of tears as she thought over the haunting possibilities of what could've been, "I would've died just like my brother did." The boys on the roof had come so close to ridding her of all of her clothes, and once they had completely stripped her, who knows what other horrors they'd had planned. If they hadn't been stopped, Lucy knew that from that day on, regardless of whether or not she was still breathing, she would've lost herself completely.

Gray, too, lowered his head as he thought about the very same thing. The blonde had been completely stripped of her jacket and shirt by the time he'd arrived, and it sickened him to think about how much further Macbeth and his friends would've gone had he not intervened.

"My brother…do you want to know why he had a limp?"

His gaze shot upwards when Lucy suddenly poised the unexpected question, his lips pressing into a grim line as he watched the first of her tears slip free. Her gaze was distant and her mind was obviously off somewhere else, the back of her hand unconsciously coming up to swipe against her cheek and rid her skin of her tears.

"Back in Crocus…" she began without waiting to hear his reply, her voice heavy with the weight of the past, "…my father's business went bankrupt. It hit all of us hard…it seemed like we were losing everything. One night was particularly rough, and Sting got into a fight with my dad. Afterwards, he begged me to leave the house with him, to just run away for the night and forget about everything that was happening, at least for a little while." Her eyes crinkled and a single, forcefully restrained sob slipped free, "I refused. I screamed at him for being a coward and wanting to run away while our family was suffering." She swiped at her eyes once more, swallowing heavily before quietly continuing, "He stormed off to some stupid high school party after that. Three of our friends went with him…and at that party was the first time Sting drank."

Gray's gaze fell to the floor, knowing where this story was headed.

"I guess…he wanted to get drunk to forget about things…and he wasn't the only one. I don't think a single one of them was sober." She sniffled again, and Gray could tell from the way her expression clenched that she was coming upon the hardest part of the story to tell.

Her fingers were tightly clenched around the edge of her seat, "Sting drove everyone home that night, but...he didn't make it far. He ran a red light, and the right side of the car got hit." Her head fell forward so he couldn't see her face, her next words barely escaping her in between quiet sobs, "Our friends…their names were Rogue, Yukino, and Minerva…and none of them survived the crash."

Her voice cut off and gave way to silent weeping all at once, and Gray wished that there wasn't a glass barrier separating them. He'd never been one to offer comfort, finding that his endeavors to do so more often than not were incredibly awkward and therefore came across as insincere. He simply found it hard to empathize with people whose tribulations he deemed petty when compared to his own. But this girl before him was different, and he knew he hadn't been wrong to make certain assumptions about her dark past when he'd first made eye contact with her on that rainy night.

"Sting's leg was permanently wounded, and he had pretty deep gash above his right eye. But he still escaped with his life…something that haunted his every thought. He was the only one that survived, and his limp reminded him of that fact constantly." She swallowed heavily, her voice carrying a new kind of sorrow, one that was much more raw and hurtful, "But now…he's gone, too…So..I guess... _I'm_ the only one that survived…So please…"

Gray slowly lifted his head in response, her tone completely shifting from how it had been before with those last two words. There was something akin to hope lacing her voice, and the vulnerability that had shown through earlier as she'd wept was replaced with pulsing and ebbing courage and strength.

He'd once thought himself strong for being able to carry on despite his past, but now the girl before him was showing him true bravery and strength, something which he found himself both envying and admiring.

Her eyes pleaded for him to listen and cling onto her every word, the tears and sorrow completely gone from her eyes, "No matter what kind of hell you've been through and no matter what kind of hell you're about to face… _you have to survive, too._ "

* * *

"I'm home," Lucy called softly as she entered her home, sliding her shoes off of her feet next to the front door. She'd left the bar immediately after Natsu's guilty remark, not wanting to push him any further towards sorrow. He wasn't her friend, but she still had the decency not to make him feel worse when he was already obviously suffering.

Her father perked up from his seat at the kitchen table, "What took you so long?"

"The teacher asked me to stay after class for a bit since I missed so much," she lied unwaveringly, not wanting her father to know she'd been in a bar of all places.

After her answer, Jude turned to his wife, who was sitting at the table next to him, sloppily applying red lipstick as she held up a mirror in front of her face, "Now that's Lucy's home, we can go, dear!"

She nodded her head excitedly, putting the cap on her lipstick and smoothing it out with the tip of her finger, the outline growing more crooked and overdrawn.

Lucy's brows furrowed, "Where are you going?"

"We're going to see Sting!" her mother happily cried. "They told me I'm going to see Sting if I come, Lucy!"

The blonde froze in her steps toward the table, "W…what?"

Jude smiled brightly at his daughter, "We're going to Zentopia, dear."

Images of the unsettling preacher and his apostles flashed across her mind, her body instinctively curling in on itself, "Zentopia? Why?"

"Lucy, dear…" her father started thoughtfully, "I've finally come to a realization. The reason why we moved here, the reason why Sting passed away, and the reason your mother has fallen ill…it is all because of the Almighty's plan for us."

The blonde anxiously shook her head, not wanting to believe that her father had fallen victim to the church's false teachings in his moment of weakness, "Dad…what are you talking about?"

"We were chosen by the Almighty."

"Stop it! Don't talk like that!" Angry and desperate tears gathered in her eyes, dread pooling in her stomach at the thought of going back to that place, "Let's go back to Crocus, dad. We can get mom help there, okay?"

He shook his head, still smiling softly despite her yelling as he stood and gently took both of her hands in his own, "Lucy, none of the hospitals that we take your mother to will make her better. Only Zentopia is capable of healing her. Let's go and pray with the Spiritual Father, alright?"

To hear her father say such things hurt her more than she could've prepared herself for, her slightly narrowed and cold eyes following him as he dropped her hands and returned to her mother, who was now running a brush through her tangled hair.

"Lies," Lucy quietly breathed out.

A soft smile still graced Jude's features as he turned back to her, "What, dear?"

Lucy swallowed heavily, a single tear slipping free and running in a line down her cheek, "Don't lie to me."

"What are you talking about?"

She closed the distance between them, bravely staring her father straight in the eyes as she blared, "Stop lying to me and tell me that you don't really believe in that garbage! Tell me that this is all some stupid joke!" Her heart dropped at her father's lack of response, his brows slightly furrowed as if he'd understood nothing she'd just said. More tears slipped free, her voice dropping in volume and sounding broken as small sobs shook her chest, "I'm terrified of that place, dad. Just seeing them gives me chills. Please… _please_ don't make me go back."

He softly shook his head, "Lucy, dear, don't say things like that. They are special people who came here to save us."

Lucy shook her head in denial once more, "Stop it. Why are you acting like this?"

Her father took hold of her hands once more, "Lucy, I'm doing this for you and your mother. So please trust me just this once, okay? I'll atone for all of my past mistakes make it all up to you. I promise."

Layla suddenly stood and wandered towards the door, smiling softly at her daughter in passing, "Let's go see Sting, dear. He's waiting."

Her father followed her mother out the door, calling for her to come along as she stayed completely still in the center of their home, tears silently streaming down her cheeks as she realized that her parents were truly and completely broken.

* * *

Lucy glanced up at the illuminated red cross warily as she exited the van, melancholy to be back at the place where she had been sexually molested twice.

Ultear and Zancrow were waiting on the church's steps for their arrival, the dark haired woman helping her mother from the van and up the stairs, Jude coming to support the blonde woman on the other side.

Lucy was solemnly about to follow behind them when a kid, no older than eleven or twelve, suddenly ran into her path, his hands holding out an aluminum can to her as he excitedly offered, "Apple juice?" He nervously dropped his gaze to the ground as he shyly remarked, "I…I really like apple juice."

Something about the inconsistencies in his speech pattern clued Lucy in, the blonde quickly recognizing that the boy before her suffered from a mental disability. Her heart warmed at his offering, knowing that it must have been hard for him to approach a complete stranger. She did her best to be amiable despite her former fear and sorrow at her location, a soft grin gracing her features as she gently took the can from his grasp.

His cheeks turned bright pink when her hand brushed against his, his gaze nervously shifting between her and the ground.

Ultear took notice their interaction, smiling softly as she turned over her shoulder to look at the boy, "Oh my, what's gotten into you, Romeo? Apple juice is his favorite thing. He must like you a lot if he's sharing some with you."

Zancrow's lips quirked as he remarked from his place on the top step, "He's a boy after all. Even at that age, he's able to recognize beauty when it's placed before him."

At his comment, Ultear glared at him, and Lucy was tempted to react similarly. But she didn't take her eyes off of the boy before her, still smiling softly at him as he bashfully twisted one of his feet in the dirt, a massive grin still upon his features.

The apostles and her parents continued up the stairs, Ultear ushering the married couple inside, "Spiritual Father is waiting for you. Let's not keep him waiting, alright?"

Romeo happily latched onto Lucy's left wrist and gently began tugging her forward, the blonde simply letting the boy drag her up the first few steps of the church.

She paused when the caw of a crow echoed around the area, her gaze slowly traveling upward and finding the black bird perched atop the cross on the steeple. As soon as she caught sight of it, the crow flew away, and as if in response to the bird's disappearance, the red cross flickered a few times before the light went out completely.

The blonde turned over her shoulder to look at their only other source of light in the dark night, the moon just barely visible through the leaves of the trees that surrounded them on all sides. Her eyes widened and an unexplainable mixture of dread and panic settled in her stomach as black clouds billowed in front of the moon, choking off its bright white light and cloaking the world around her in complete darkness.

* * *

 **AN**

 **This chapter marks the end of our set up/prologue chapters! From here on out, the cult and their plans for the Heartfilia family will be the central focus of our story! Of course there will be lots of other subplots, but now things get really dark and dreary as the cult sets out on finding their salvation…using Lucy somehow…**

 **The situation with the Sabertooth peeps was something I added in myself. In the original drama, you never find out why the brother limps, and I just felt like there needed to be some explanation, so I stuck it in there.**

 **Just a reminder: The next chapter, and the rest of the story for the matter, takes place three years after the events of these first six chapters. Next chapter has a little bit about what Natsu's been doing, but for the most part it focuses on Lucy. Also forewarning, things get really really really dark and dreary, so prepare yourselves.**

 **As always, I hope to hear your thoughts and thank you for reading! And of course, thank you to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed!**

 **See you next Friday!**


	7. Chapter 7: Stillness in Woe

**Chapter Seven**

 **Stillness in Woe**

Natsu let out a heavy sigh as he stepped out of the taxi that'd brought him to the familiar street corner, hoisting the strap of his backpack higher on his shoulder as he tugged his baseball cap further down by its brim. Hats never sat on his head just right, his stubborn tufts of salmon hair refusing to be tamed.

The familiar hum of the merry bustling of people and bikes on the streets bumbled into his ears as he gazed around his hometown, the shouts and hollers of local farmers and vendors selling their goods completing the rather peculiar ensemble of sound that brought pleasant memories to his mind. The strange assemblage of noises was a welcome contrast to the honking of cars and disgruntled jostling of the almost constant crowds on the city streets of Crocus, the raucous cacophony something which he'd been the unfortunate subject of for the past three years.

Zeref had been the one to pester him about attending college nonstop, and his brother's position as governor had allowed him acceptance into one of the top universities in Crocus despite his barely decent grades in high school. His major was also subject to Zeref's desires, and Natsu had only committed himself to his studies of law for the sake of ending the entire ordeal that was college life as quickly as humanly possible. He'd studied for three years straight beginning in the fall after his high school graduation, not even taking the summer semesters off like most college students did.

And at the very beginning of his last semester before graduation, he might have just thrown all of his hard work away.

It had happened at a welcome gathering for the freshman in his department, a party that he'd had no intention of attending until his roommate of the same major, Alzack, had all but dragged him there. And just like Natsu had expected, once they arrived, his black haired companion abandoned him for a pretty green haired girl, leaving Natsu all alone on the edge of the long table they'd reserved at a bar in one of Crocus' cheaper and less developed districts.

The salmon haired boy had been content drinking on his own for the majority of the gathering, lost in his own thoughts and completely ignoring his acquaintances until a conversation a few seats down from his grew to bear far too much of a resemblance to one of his most haunting memories for him to ignore it any longer. An obviously drunk senior had tried to force a glass of beer upon a meek freshman, spitting into the drink at his refusal and nearly shoving it down the poor boy's throat.

Natsu didn't let the situation progress much further after that, the alcohol in his system and his lingering rage and regret over what had become of the boy whom the freshman had reminded him of fueling him as he lunged at the drunk senior. A table had been unintentionally flipped in their skirmish as a few of the senior's friends tried to pry the salmon haired boy off of the drunk, and there were none who were involved in the fight that didn't walk away with at least a few bruises.

Natsu's actions had led to his suspension from the university while his continuation in his studies was under debate by the college's board, but he didn't regret what he'd done in the least. In the past, he'd been too concerned with what Zeref expected of him to do what his gut told him was right. The years had worn away at his care for Zeref's wishes, and he'd decided that he was _done_ living like a coward in the shadow of his brother's power. He wouldn't sit back and watch as those who were unable to protect themselves suffered when he had to the power to do something, even if it earned him his brother's disapproval.

And thus, his new motivation to no longer stand idly by had sent him back to his roots, the streets where he'd once played and been chased by his three best friends greeting his gaze once more after three long years of having been deprived of the sight. And despite his worries about being back in the place where he'd accrued so many regrets, he found himself immediately at ease upon stepping onto the bumpy, cobblestone roads he'd grown up traversing. The city life hadn't suited him, and he much rather preferred Magnolia's modest downtown to the skyscrapers of the capital city which blocked out much of the sky and even the sun for most of the day.

His pleasant, reminiscent reverie came to a sudden and shiver-invoking end as a stream of water shot at the base of his neck, far too forceful and direct to have occurred naturally. Freezing water trickled down his back as his hand shot to the matted section of hair, whipping around to find the culprit and feeling no surprise when he found who was waiting for him.

Loke's upper body was hanging out of the window of the billiard room on the second floor of the building behind him, water gun in hand and a snide grin on his features. Elfman was visible standing behind the orange haired playboy, his large, tan arms crossed over his chest and his lips pressed together in a smug smile.

Natsu shot them a glare and muttered a few curses, but his sour expression quickly gave way to his signature bright grin.

It'd been three years after all, and he couldn't stay angry at the two for long when they were the only friends he had left.

* * *

Natsu shot up the stairs to the billiard room mounting two steps at a time, his eager grin never once fading from his features as he entered the lofty room, quickly weaving through the pool tables and towards his friends. They were leaned against the edge of the table where they were playing, the balls still spread across the table and their cues grasped in their hands.

The salmon haired boy crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the edge of the table across from them, letting out a heavy sigh as he looked them over. Elfman was even more muscled and 'manly' than when he'd seen him last, something which Natsu hadn't thought possible, and Loke's shoulders had broadened a bit and his face was more structurally mature.

Natsu supposed that some similar changes had taken place in him, though they'd gone mostly unacknowledged until he thought about them just then. He supposed he'd grown a bit a taller, and the jacket he wore, one that he'd had since high school, was now tight across his shoulders. He liked to think he'd gained more muscle too, though he knew he was nowhere near comparable to Elfman.

Despite their physical changes, it was already obvious to him that his two friends hadn't changed much in personality, their banter still holding the same lilt and humor that it had for their many years of friendship since kindergarten.

Loke was doing his own look over of the salmon haired boy, tsking as he rubbed the tip of his cue in blue chalk, "Has it really been three years already?"

"Yeah…" Natsu let another heavy sigh as he thought about strange it was that so much time had passed so quickly, and without much consequence as well. Despite attending college and living on his own for those years, it didn't really feel like he'd done anything of worth, at least not in his eyes. "How did you know I was back? I'd only been in town for two hours when I got your text."

The playboy's smug grin returned once more, "We were notified by the best information source Magnolia has to offer."

Natsu lightly chuckled, immediately catching his drift, "So Juvia's still a pizza delivery girl?"

"Yep," Loke hummed, stealing a handful of chips from the bag Elfman had opened. "She said she saw you walking on the streets during one of her deliveries."

"This town's way too small," the salmon haired boy huffed out as he shook his head.

A disapproving pout suddenly appeared on Loke's features, his tone growing childishly displeased as he chided, "If you were gonna come visit, you should've at least brought us back a girl from Crocus."

Natsu's mood immediately plunged into the ground at the phrase 'girl from Crocus,' clearing his throat and dropping his gaze to the floor.

Neither Loke nor Elfman paid his sudden change in mood any mind, the two quickly getting entangled in one of their common banters as the orange haired boy sought to steal another handful of chips from his friend's bag.

Natsu couldn't help but wonder what had become of the blonde whom originally owned the title of the 'girl from Crocus.' He hadn't said a single word to her since that day she'd come to find him in their usual corner of the Fairy Tail bar, nor had he heard even a whisper about her in years. After her brother passed, she'd only came to class one more day before she seemingly dropped off the face of the planet, never to be heard from again.

She'd clearly ended whatever beginnings of a relationship they'd had on the day he'd sought her out at her brother's funeral, but he still thought of her constantly, regardless of her wishes for him to leave her be. No matter how hard he tried, it was nearly impossible not to think of her when he was attending college in the very city from which she'd earned their nickname for her, and reminders of her and her brother were everywhere. He couldn't even write with purple ink without thinking of the pen that the blonde had always used to take notes, and the sight of white flowers always sent shivers down his spine as he recalled the bloodied and crushed blossoms beneath the blond boy's body.

Regardless of the haunting memories she played a prominent role in, wherever she was, he hoped that she was finally at peace.

* * *

Lucy slowly let out a soft, quiet breath as she wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, her fingers aching and cold from the long hours of washing dishes in Zentopia's cafeteria. The other sisters of the church were completing the same task around her, though they were going about their chores in a much happier manner than the blonde, pleasant grins constantly on their faces and light chatter passing between them to fill in the spaces between the clanking of dishes. Lucy would make small talk with some of them every now and then too, though she was never the one to start the conversation herself, and the age difference between her and the older ladies made it strenuous for the blonde to relate to them and their talk. Not to mention the fact that most of their chatter concerned their praises of the church and its preacher, her opinion of which was the polar opposite. She really only replied to their inquiries towards her out of kindness, knowing from her parents' teachings that it would be rude of her ignore them.

Lucy let out another sigh as she raised her gaze from the sink to give her aching neck a moment of relief, a small grin involuntarily tugging at the corners of her lips as she caught sight of Romeo through the serving window of the kitchen that opened into the cafeteria.

The now thirteen-year-old boy was seated all alone at one of the cafeteria's tables as he hurriedly shoveled the chicken noodle soup she'd made for him into his mouth, leaning over the tray like she'd told him to so that he didn't spill his meal all over himself in his haste. His eyes were devotedly zeroed in on the can of apple juice she'd set across the table from him, his determination to finish his meal and complete his side of their deal shining brightly in his irises. She'd had to bargain with him to get him to eat his soup, eventually settling on the compromise that he couldn't have his favorite drink until the bowl was empty.

Ultear had once called the teen the 'Angel of Zentopia' for his kindness and humility despite the fact that his intelligence disability often made it difficult for him to fully grasp certain situations, the fact that he was by far the youngest member of the religion further setting him apart from the rest, the blonde herself being the next youngest. Lucy had never once agreed so strongly with the dark haired apostle's words, and she'd even called the boy an angel a few times herself. They were one in the same in her eyes, both having been forced to join the church by their parents and lacking the drive and confidence to protest against their caregivers.

He'd been her only light in the sea of constant darkness and despair that hung in the air around the church she'd been forced to spend her days in, and she didn't know what she'd do without him by her side to ease the time.

* * *

Lucy took a deep breath of the fresh, crisp mountain air to calm her ever-rising paranoia as her sneakered feet crunched on one of Zentopia's many forest paths, her lip caught between her bottom teeth as she scanned the area for an indication as to which way Romeo had snuck off to.

When she'd finished her work of washing the dishes, she'd exited the kitchen to find his tray abandoned on the table, the can of apple juice gone from where she'd placed it. She'd briefly noted that his soup was gone too, but she'd wished he'd stuck around so they could leave the cafeteria together. Macao was never done with his duties this early in the day, and the blonde knew that it wasn't good to let the Conbolt boy wander off on his own, his unrestrainable, child-like curiosity often getting him into more trouble than good.

She had a feeling that this was one of those times when his adventurous side would lead him somewhere dangerous, especially since he'd grown more daring as of late.

Lucy stilled in her steps when a strange sound whispered through the trees on her left, a noise that could have easily been attributed as the caw of a bird or cry of some other forest creature. She waited a moment to see if it would happen again, making sure that she wasn't just hearing things in her slightly paranoid and on-edge state before she jumped to conclusions.

Her eyes widened when the cry echoed down the mountainside once more, louder this time and clearly a human scream, one befitting that of a boy Romeo's age. It was laced with pain, cracking and cutting off at random intervals as if there was something preventing the scream from completing its length.

Silently grateful that she'd opted for pants today instead of her usual skirt, she took off up the path that branched off of the main road to her left, the gravel quickly giving way to dirt as she ascended the mountain towards the private prayer houses that rested in the clearing ahead. Her pace was hurried, but not overly so, some small whisper of a thought in her head telling her that she was just being paranoid and crafting baseless nightmares out of the natural noises of the forest around her.

That small thought murmured that it wasn't him, that there was no way any harm had befallen him when he had been sitting peacefully at a table in her line of sight only ten minutes ago. And this place was advertised to be one of peace and reverence, a so-called paradise-like escape from the suffering and evils of the world.

Although, she'd seen through that lie the moment she'd first stepped foot into the church beside her twin all those years ago, and the truth of what this place hid in between its walls was the impetus for her hurried pace forward. Precht's lingering gazes, Ultear's constant looks of apology and pity, Zancrow's malicious grins sent in her direction…All of the things she'd fallen subject to for the past three years had only strengthened her loathing for Zentopia and its people.

She wanted out. She had since the moment her father had first dragged her into the church, and her desire to leave had only grown stronger with each passing day.

At first, it was her devotion to her parents that kept her still. She knew that they'd suffered just as much as she had after Sting had ended his life, and to the present, her mother had still yet to return to her old self.

And then Lucy had met Romeo, too, and he'd become her only source of joy and reprieve. She couldn't leave him behind to suffer on his own, and so she had stayed, silently waiting for her father to come to his senses so her family could leave this place together and they could go back to the way their lives had been before they'd come to Magnolia.

The private prayer houses finally began to emerge from in between the seemingly endless expanse of trees, the stark white of the one person cabins harshly clashing with the dark green of the forest around them.

The screams faded as the blonde hiked closer, though they were soon replaced by wet, muffled sobs, the sounds of movement on top of the leaves that had fallen to the forest floor joining the unsettling cacophony.

The sobbing was coming from behind a cabin on her left, and so she ran towards it without hesitation. Her feet slid on top of the loose leaves as she whipped around the corner of the small prayer house, her fingers latching onto a wooden plank that stuck out of the structure to stop herself from completely toppling over in her haste.

The heat was stolen from her veins as her gaze fell downward, a chilling cold crawling through her limbs instead and freezing her completely still.

Romeo was there, collapsed against the back of the house in the shadow of the man that towered over him, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth and tears sliding down his now red and purple cheeks.

"Lu…Lucy," he quietly choked out her name between sobs, his shaky gaze slowly sliding up to her face.

Air slipped through her mouth as she quickly inhaled when their eyes met, her lungs momentarily incapable of exhaling. His eyes, the horrid mixture of terror and agonyin his gaze…his irises perfectly resembled those of her twin as he'd stood atop the radiator on the school's roof, surrounded by his tormentors.

The blonde collapsed to her knees and wrapped both of her arms around Romeo's neck, pulling his head snuggly into her chest like she had wanted to do with Sting all those years ago. She'd never gotten the chance to comfort and protect her brother, but she wasn't going to let the chance slip away again, especially not when Romeo had become like a younger sibling to her.

Her gaze zeroed in on the man standing above them, an annoyed scoff slipping through his lips as her heated glare settled on him.

Lucy clenched her jaw, fighting to restrain her anger so that she didn't squeeze Romeo too hard, "What the hell did you do to him?"

She didn't miss the blood on Zancrow's knuckles as he tucked his hands into his pockets.

He coughed to clear his throat, his tone nonchalant as he obviously lied, "Romeo stole some money from the church's donation box. I was simply putting him in his place."

"That's bullshit and you know it," she glowered, her voice laced with animosity. "Romeo would never do something like that!" She pulled the trembling boy even further into her embrace, his hands latching onto the front of her shirt in response. One of his fingers caught on a strand of her hair on accident, tugging it on it as he buried himself further into her frame, but she didn't do anything to set the strand free, only hugging him closer as she glared at the blond man towering over them, "If you lay another hand on him, I'll turn you in. I don't care about what you'll do to me. There won't be a single person who doesn't know what you've done."

He chuckled to himself, as if laughing about the antics of a child, "You make it sound like I've done something like this before."

"Don't treat me like I'm stupid," the blonde seethed.

A raucous laugh burst through his lips, an amused smirk playing across his features, "It seems you've misunderstood. I didn't hit him. I scolded him out of love so that he never does something so foolish again." His lips were set in an animalistic, hungry grin as he crouched down in front of them, his hand reaching out to stroke the boy's ankle, "Isn't that right Romeo?"

The teen flinched and curled further into the blonde, letting her pull him to his feet.

Lucy didn't let Romeo stray from her grasp as she finally peeled her glare from Zancrow's, being mindful of the way the boy clutched at his ribs, "Let's go."

The apostle's grin slowly faded into a tight, emotionless, straight line, his voice laced with an underlying threat as he called after her, "Lucy…you must understand. What happens in Zentopia must be solved within Zentopia. You know that, right?"

At his words, Lucy momentarily slowed to a halt, knowing what he was getting at in order to scare her and make her feel helpless. When it came to finally breaking her silence on Zancrow's deeds, it was highly unlikely that anyone within Zentopia would listen to her cries. To the believers, he was known as one of Precht's devoted apostles, one who managed the finances of the church. If she wanted her words to actually make an impact and be a cause for action, she'd have to seek help outside of those with whom she now lived. But the church had a good reputation in the small, isolated town of Magnolia for taking in the destitute and homeless, their supposed good deeds earning many their trust. Not to mention that the law made it difficult for outside forces to get involved with Zentopia's affairs. They were a religion after all, and interfering in their business could be seen as a means of toiling with religious freedom.

But the blonde to a deep breath to strengthen her resolve and started back down the hill with Romeo still pulled tightly into her side, whispering words of comfort all the while as they made their descent.

She'd meant what she said, and regardless of whether or not anyone would listen, she'd scream all of the things she'd been holding inside herself for the last three years. For her parents' sake, she'd been quiet and amiable, even as she was forced to leave all things associated with the outside world behind and adjust to life in a place where she always felt on edge. But her patience was wearing thin, along with her resolve to be a good, obedient daughter.

It felt as if all of the strings that held her old self together, the ones she'd been futilely clinging onto for the past three years, were going to snap at any second, and once everything she'd once defined herself by was gone, she didn't know what would be left.

* * *

In an attempt to comfort Romeo, Lucy lightly stroked her fingers across his sweaty forehead as he lay in his bed, fitfully sleeping and heaving heavily, his breaths sounding more like wheezes and growing more labored with each passing moment.

She'd attempted to help him change into a fresh pair of clothes after they'd returned to the boarding building on Zentopia's grounds, but he'd fitfully protested, groaning in pain whenever she'd tried to lift his shirt over his head. At the very least, she'd managed to gently wipe the blood from the corner of his lips with a wet rag, inspecting his mouth in the process and finding a cut along the inside of his cheek from where his teeth had dragged along the flesh during a brutal hit to the face.

Now that the teen was unconscious, she took her chance to see what he'd been hiding underneath his shirt. He'd clutched at his side during their entire trek down the mountain, and his fitful protests against her efforts to change him earlier had only increased her fears.

She silently reached down and gripped the bottom hem with both hands, gently tugging the shirt upwards until the bottom of his ribs were revealed to her gaze.

A horrified gasp slipped through her lips before she could stop it, her eyes widening and her hand shooting to cover her mouth.

The skin stretching over his ribs was swollen with horrid reds and purples, though it didn't seem to be a regular bruise. She could tell that his wound ran deeper than just the skin, and although she'd never been an expert on anything medical, an inkling of a thought whispered in her mind that he was bleeding internally.

How Zancrow was capable of doing such a thing to a young, innocent boy was something that sickened and infuriated Lucy to no end. Her heart hadn't stopped racing since their encounter in the woods, and she knew she would never be fully at rest again until she had escaped this place once and for all.

* * *

Lucy paid no mind to the focuses she drew as she broke the silence in the middle of the church's hallway, nearly out of breath the entire time she hurriedly urged her father and Ultear, "Romeo's hurt. We need to take him to the hospital. Now."

The dark haired apostle smiled pleasantly as if completely oblivious to the blonde's panic, "There's no need for that. He'll get better by praying and drinking the Life Water our Spiritual Father has blessed for him."

At her side, Jude bowed his head as he pressed his hands together in front of his chest, his voice barely audible as he breathed out Zentopia's most common form of spiritual agreement, "Our wishes be fulfilled."

Lucy's hands clenched into shaking fists at her sides as she heard her father's uttering, swallowing heavily as she fought to keep herself from lashing out. It was getting harder to control herself with every passing day, and the last threads of her respect for her father were dangerously close to snapping. With all of her protesting, all of her desperate pleas for them to leave this place, he'd only constantly refused and told her to have faith in the leaders of Zentopia, the people who were causing all of her pain. He was blind to her suffering, his own grief over what had become of the other two members of their family giving him cause to seek out whatever false comfort Zentopia had promised him those three years ago. His sorrow prevented him from seeing through their false fronts, and she was beginning to loath him for it.

To his credit, he did still seem capable of sensing some of her emotions, at least to a certain extent, a warm smile on his face as he took a step closer to his daughter and comfortingly whispered, "Lucy, if we have the Life Water that our Father created, we can even cure something as horrid as cancer. He'll be fine."

"That's right, Lucy," Ultear affirmed, her tight smile still pulling at her painted lips. "Let's treat him with faith rather than with the uncouth practices of this world."

Several of their spectators bowed their head as they muttered their faithful agreements, and Lucy slowly spun around herself to gaze at them all in disbelief, her lips forcefully pressed into a grim line as she fought to keep her voice from screaming out all of the rage and anger she'd restrained inside herself for three years, "Do you all really believe that? You really think that that stupid water can cure something like cancer?"

"Lucy!" Jude snapped, "How dare you say such a thing about something so sacred? Repent immediately!"

The blonde whipped back around to face him, callous to the fact that she was in a church and surrounded by spectators as she finally let her voice break free of the bonds she'd placed upon it, her sharp words echoing between the stone walls around her, "Romeo can't be treated by your pathetic water! He needs to go to the hospital!" Her voice grew quieter as she took a step closer to her father, through it lost none of its ferocity as she seethed, "Dad…how long…how long are you going to live like this? We stayed here, year after year, for three years now and nothing's changed!" She took another step closer, "Look at what's happened to mom. With her in the state she is, how can you say that you believe in this place? What the hell is salvation and where are the miracles we were promised?!"

His hand flew out and connected with her cheek, her skin already stinging from the contact before she could really process what had happened. She stumbled back a few steps as the sound of the smack bounced off of the walls, her fingertips immediately landing over the irritated skin of her left cheek.

None of their spectators even so much as flinched in her direction, all of them watching on silently with judgement in their gazes.

Lucy slowly turned back to her father, pulling her hair out of her face to clear her vision as her eyes found him once more.

Jude was staring at his hand with wide eyes as if it had betrayed him and acted on his own, his voice hesitant as he began to stutter, "Lu-Lucy…I…I-"

"You're insane," she hissed out, not an ounce of insincerity in her voice.

His face crinkled in hurt at her insult, and it scared the blonde when she realized that she didn't care. She didn't care if he felt betrayal, and she didn't care if she was the cause for his sorrow. The threads of her love and respect for him had snapped the moment his hand had connected with her cheek.

Her expression was unflinching as she continued her verbal assault, her jaw clenched and fire blazing in her irises, "Staying here in this place like you have been…it's insane." She spun around once more, glaring at each of their spectators in turn, "All of you are insane." Her voice grew louder when she noticed that Zancrow had joined the crowd of spectators, standing right behind Ultear, "'Salvation?' 'Eternal life?'" Angry tears stung her eyes, screaming at the top of her lungs as she glared at those who encircled her, "You really think that all of that's possible if you stay in this place?!"

"Lucy!" Ultear attempted to cut her off, and when the blonde spun to face her, she found the apostle shaking her head in disapproval, her lips pulled into a tight line, "This sort of behavior won't do." Her gaze remained zeroed in on the girl in the center of the crowd as she commanded, "Zancrow, take her to the prayer room."

The man more than happily fulfilled the command, stepping forward to grab onto the blonde's forearms and leaning close to whisper in her ear, "Lucy, let's go pray together, okay?"

"Let go of me!" She beat at his chest as soon as he attempted to drag her off and Kain quickly stepped forward, silently taking hold of her other arm. The hallway was filled with the sounds of her scuffling and screaming as she tugged against them, her feet digging into the floor as they tried to pull her away.

A loud, authoritative voice cut through the fray, all other sounds immediately ceasing, "Take the boy to the hospital."

Lucy stared numbly forward as her least favorite man of all descended the stairs at the end of the hallway, not even processing that her forearms were now free of Zancrow's and Kain's grasps. The preacher was wearing his stupidly pristine white suit like always, his hands clasped behind his back as his believers cleared a path for him, bowing to him as he passed on his way towards her. To Lucy, the scene looked more like subjects bowing to their king than believers paying tribute to their preacher.

The blonde stared at Precht blankly as he came to a stop directly in front of her, his voice composed and holding all of the prestige one of his calling ought to have as he projected, "If he's sick, then he should go to the hospital, right?" He peeled his gaze off of the blonde and spun around to face the crowd around them, lifting a vial of his supposed 'Life Water' high above his head as he preached, "Lucy's correct. If there's no faith, then this is nothing more than tap water. If you don't believe it and simply pretend to, then it all means nothing."

Her gaze fell to the floor, seething in hatred over how he always, no matter what the circumstances, managed to turn the situation into a lesson about belief. He'd twisted her words and made it seem like she'd spoken them as a call to faith, and his eloquence infuriated her to no end. She'd refused to be one of his conversion projects for years, despite his sweet and enticing way of arranging his words, though unfortunately, not everyone shared her thoughts as to what this place really was beneath the promises of salvation.

His steps echoed across the floor as he stepped closer to the blonde, leaning in close and speaking under his breath, "I'm sure everything here all looks fake to a nonbeliever like you. However, you'll realize it soon enough."

She swallowed heavily at his words, for they made it sound like he had plans for her, and the underlying sense of anticipation in his tone sent chills ricocheting up and down her spine.

"This place is real, Lucy," he whispered, his breath puffing against her nose. "And that outside world that you have so devotedly attached to yourself to is fiction. Forget everything about it. Holding onto that which is false will only bring you more suffering, and those who cling to the matters of this world will be unable to join the Almighty in the afterlife. If you want to see Sting again, you must board the Ship of Salvation, so think about your actions carefully."

* * *

Lucy comforting ran her hand through Romeo's hair as he buried his head into her chest, the boy letting out small groans every time the car jostled over bumps in the road. She knew the position had to be uncomfortable for him, but he'd refused to leave it, whining even as she'd forced him away to put on his seatbelt.

They were on the middle bench of the Zentopia van, already on their way back to the church from the hospital. Lucy knew that Zancrow must've said something to the doctors to get Romeo discharged as soon as he had been, because there was no way the teen was well enough to be out and about again. They'd only stayed at the hospital for a few hours before he'd been released, and he was obviously still in pain, his hand never leaving his ribcage.

That incident was only further proof of the absence of hope when it came to finding someone from outside the church to help her. If one of Zentopia's apostles could influence even a doctor, then her chances of success were very slim indeed.

Her gaze snapped upwards as Kain suddenly whapped Zancrow on the arm, the mute apostle gesturing to the gauges on the dash.

"Didn't you just fill it up last week?" Zancrow growled in displeasure. He let out an annoyed scoff, "Go ahead, pull over then."

The driver wasted no time in pulling into the next gas station, and Zancrow excused himself from the car as well, "I'm gonna go take a piss."

Now alone in the car with Romeo, Lucy pushed the shaking teen away a fraction so she could look at his face, her thumbs gently rubbing soothing circles on his forearms, "How are you feeling, Romeo?"

He anxiously shook his head, his voice quivering, "I…I'm scared."

Lucy swallowed heavily. She was terrified, too, and her lack of hope for their situation held her back when it came to finding the words to comfort him. So instead, she silently ran her fingers through his hair, remembering that Sting had always liked it when she did that.

"That man is really scary," Romeo was gulping for air now, his shaking picking up in intensity as panic took over and tears gathered in his eyes. "He hit me… and we're not allowed to curse, but he said bad things…The lady kept saying it hurt…but he kept hitting her…She…she kept screaming."

Lucy's eyes widened, leaning in close for the sake of not being overheard by Kain, who stood with his back to their window as he paid to fill their tank, "What…what lady? Zancrow hit someone other than you?"

The teen anxiously shook his head, close to hyperventilating as he strained between breaths, "If you hit people, you're a bad person. That man is a really bad person. He…h-he said he'd kill me if I told anyone. If I told anyone, he said he'd kill me and dad." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, his fingers trembling as he clutched at it for a moment before tossing it to the ground.

Lucy flinched as it clattered to the floor of the van, looking back to the teen with wide eyes. In her three years of knowing him, she'd never seen him act like this. He was clutching at his ears and shaking his head as tears streamed down his cheeks, incoherently mumbling to himself.

She clasped onto one of his hands in an attempt to calm him while she reached for his phone with the other, figuring there must've been some reason he'd chucked it to the ground.

Upon unlocking the device, she found herself in his gallery, her eyes immediately drawn to the most recent video he'd recorded, the thumbnail very obviously picturing Zancrow. Her fingers trembled as she tapped 'play,' and as the video progressed, her stomach dropped further and further.

Romeo had an affinity for filming anything and everything, even the simplest of moments. Some might call the happenings of his videos mundane, but Lucy had always positively adored his ability to find things worth remembering in even the dullest of times.

But this time, it appeared his hobby had landed him in the worst possible place.

The video's beginnings were nothing out of the ordinary, the camera simply chasing a squirrel as it skittered across the ground and up a nearby tree. But other, non-natural noises to the forest soon joined the cawing of the birds and the peaceful atmosphere that surrounded the trees was tarnished. The frame tilted upward, and Lucy knew that Romeo must've looked up curiously then, unable to stop himself from seeking out the noise. It wasn't long before Zancrow appeared on screen, and Lucy could feel her own face pale as she saw that he had a young woman pinned to the side of one of the white prayer houses that rested in the woods. She was shrieking incoherently for a moment before she shoved the apostle away and darted down the forest path, running right by Romeo without even casting him a glance in her haste. Zancrow's gaze followed her descent and landed right where the teen stood, the video ending with his crimson eyes staring directly into the lens.

The blonde clutched a hand over her mouth to stop herself from making any sound as she watched, somehow finding herself unable to believe its contents even though she knew what type of man Zancrow was. Perhaps her feeling of disbelief spawned more from the fact that she now had solid evidence as to who he really was, evidence that couldn't be refuted.

And just like that, a spark of hope was alighted within her chest.

* * *

They were quickly headed back towards the church, Lucy startling and Romeo wincing when the car jerked as they drove over a particularly large bump on the road that curled up the mountain side.

Lucy's eyes shot downward and widened as the bump dislodged something from beneath Zancrow's seat, her hand shooting forward and wrapping her fingers arounds the handle of the screwdriver whilst Zancrow was distracted with chastising Kain for not driving smoothly.

She stilled herself as the knuckles of her right hand turned white from how hard she was clutching at the screw driver, that spark of hope growing stronger and refusing to be ignored as she formulated a plan of attack. She couldn't let them take her and Romeo back to the church now that she had evidence and they were so close to town, knowing that once she was back at Zentopia it'd be hard to escape with the boy unnoticed. She'd tucked Romeo's phone into her back pocket, and she knew she had to do something to get that video to anybody who would listen, and she had to do it fast.

Attacking Zancrow would get her nowhere, she figured, so she turned her focus to the other man in the car. Due his hulking frame, his shoulder extended far past the back of his seat, and it was definitely within reaching distance. It was a stupid, reckless plan to attack the driver, she knew, but it was the only plan she had.

Her eyes shot to Romeo as she sought for confirmation that he had his seatbelt on one last time, which he did, and she reached over to grasp onto his hand to give it a comforting squeeze. He turned to her, his eyes wide with confusion, and she simply smiled back comfortingly, hating the fact that she couldn't give him any warning without risking being over heard.

The blonde's gaze returned forward, her eyes on Zancrow and observing him for a moment, judging whether or not he'd see her attack coming and react in time to stop it. He'd closed his eyes and leaned back as he whistled a Zentopia hymn, that spark of hope burning brighter at his lack of visual awareness. Her eyes traveled down in an attempted to see where his hands were, and she noticed the absence of a buckle in the latch near his hip. He didn't have his seatbelt on, and she gruesomely thought that maybe attacking the driver and likely crashing the van would be more beneficial to her cause than she first thought.

Before she could let herself chicken out, she inhaled a sharp breath and shot her upper body forward, burrowing the metal of the screwdriver into Kain's shoulder with all the strength she could muster.

Chaos erupted in the van, the car immediately swerving wildly as Kain's hands left the wheel to blindly grab for the foreign object that had penetrated his flesh. Zancrow shoved the blonde off the other apostle, backhanding her across the face and sending her reeling backwards into her seat. Her tight grasp on the handle of the screwdriver hadn't loosened even a fraction, and as she lurched into the backseat, it was pulled from Kain's shoulder.

The blonde vaguely registered Romeo's voice screaming her name as Zancrow made another grab at the weapon in her grasp, but before he could steal it from her, she blindly stabbed the screwdriver towards him, the small metal rod striking one of his outreaching hands and stabbing the center of his palm, the tip coming out the other side.

There was a crash as the van careened upwards before plunging downwards, and suddenly, the feeling of weightlessness overtook Lucy's physical senses, her mind only half aware of the roof of the van colliding with the ground before everything faded into black.

* * *

Lucy jolted awake with a quick inhale of breath, her head throbbing and lungs begging for air. She quickly gave into their demand, her head slowly lulling from side to side as she gulped for breath to clear the muddled thoughts in her head. There was something liquid running along her skin from her chin to her hairline, her brain struggling to process what could be running up her face.

Her vision grew less fuzzy with each new breath of air, and as feeling returned to her limbs, she confusedly began to realize that she was…hanging upside down?

Everything came back all at once as she saw the shattered windshield directly in front of her, a bloodied blond mane of hair lying atop the shattered pieces.

The crashing of the van into something solid and then the feeling of weightless…and now she was hanging upside down, fastened to her seat by the belt that was currently digging into her chest and hips. They must've careened off of the road and tumbled down one of the steep slopes that were common in Magnolia. They had been driving up a mountain after all, and she was more than well aware of the fact that there were several drop offs that bordered the roads to Zentopia.

She painstakingly forced herself to look to her left, her focus blearily settling on the boy who was unconscious beside her, hanging upside down just like she was. She sucked in a labored breath, forcing her petrified vocal chords to work as she huffed out, "R…Romeo…"

He didn't stir.

The backs of her hands scraped against the shattered glass that littered the ceiling of the car as she put all of her efforts into unfastening herself from the belt that held her up, her limbs heavy and gravity pulling against her every move as she laboriously brought her hands to her waist.

She groaned as the buckle came undone, her knees and forearms hitting the ground first as she curled into herself in an attempt to lessen the pain of the short, but rather uncontrolled fall. Her body moved sluggishly and exhaustedly, the impact of their tumble down the mountainside already taking its toll. The feeling of liquid running from her chin to hairline reversed, and her hands were quickly covered with little red droplets as the liquid reached the tip of her chin.

Blood, she vaguely realized. That was definitely what was running in all directions across her face.

She only gave herself a moment's rest before she forced herself to sit up and act while she could, her adrenaline finally kicking in as she moved to rouse the teen at her side. She placed herself under him as best she could as her hands found his buckle, repeatedly calling his name as she fought against his weight to unfasten him.

He groaned as he tumbled down on top of her and her heart soared as she took a moment to hug him against her chest just like she had in the forest earlier that day. He clutched at his ribs where his previous injury rested, and guilt slowly trickled into her veins at the thought that her actions had undoubtedly increased his suffering.

But at the very least, there was finally hope of them being free.

Her gaze traveled along the shattered pieces of glass beneath them, following the trail to the now broken window on her side of the van.

That was their means of escape.

Her focus quickly slid to the front two seats, the blonde swallowing heavily when neither Zancrow nor Kain so much as flinched. For a moment, she let herself get lost in wondering if they were dead. In Zancrow's case, it seemed highly likely, and if he was still breathing, she knew his injuries had to be grievous due to his lack of a seatbelt during their tumble.

Without sparing another second over the apostles, she slid across the ceiling of the van, numb to the pain of the glass shards and rigid bends in the ceiling digging into her limbs as she traversed across them. Her only focus was on getting herself and Romeo as far away as possible, and so she drug herself through the window, letting out a grown as she flopped into the mud outside.

She painstakingly forced her weary body to its feet, leaning heavily on the van as she crouched back down near the window, reaching her arms through to help Romeo out.

Once he was standing tall before her, she looked him over, grimly noting that he'd picked up more than a few scrapes and bruises during their tumble, the new injuries only adding to the old. He seemed to be numbing to them just like she was becoming numb to hers though, and she figured that getting away while they had the energy to do so was priority, not willing to risk staying around long enough for the apostles still within the van to wake up.

Lucy quickly took Romeo's hand within her own, squeezing it tightly, "Let's go."

The teen was uncontrollably trembling, "G-go…go where? Where are we?"

Lucy struggled to find the words to explain it in a way that he would somewhat understand without scaring him further. She licked her lips, gripping his hands even tighter, "From now on, it's like we're playing hide and seek, alright? We…we have to hide somewhere that those people won't find us."

He suddenly resisted against her hold, her face crinkling, "I…I wanna see dad."

The blonde's heart ached for him and his innocence, releasing his hand to pull him into her side as she continued to drag him onwards, "Romeo…when we get to Magnolia, I'll buy you some apple juice, 'kay? If you come with me, I promise you'll be able to see your dad soon."

He nodded his head against her chest, and Lucy swallowed heavily, pulling him tighter into her side as they trudged off together into the unknown.

* * *

Lucy held her breath as she slowly crept out into the open expanse of land before them, having left Romeo back in the cover of the trees until she could be positive that what lay before them was clear. She stepped over the train tracks that ran through the cleared portion of trees, and with nothing other than the normal sights of nature greeting her gaze, she turned back around to call the teen to her side.

"Romeo-" her voice died out in her throat as she spun around, her eyes widening and stomach dropping at the sight that greeted her. Zancrow and Kain stood behind Romeo, the larger of the two with his meaty hands resting on the boy's shoulders. The teen's eyes were filled with tears as his lip trembled in terror, his frame curling into itself as Zancrow ruffled his hair in passing.

The blond apostle smirked viciously as he stepped over the train tracks, leaving Kain and Romeo on the other side as he jibbed, "Bring it on. I heard you played volleyball back in Crocus. You must have good stamina then, right? It's been a long time since I've had a good chase."

Despite the fact that the distance between them was lessening, Lucy couldn't bring herself to budge even an inch. Romeo wasn't at her side, and she wasn't running until his hand was clasped safely within her own.

Lucy shook her head anxiously, her gaze firmly connected with his even though she felt like her legs might give out on her at any second, "I won't go back with you." She thought back to what had happened to Romeo, the video of the apostle harassing the unknown woman adding fuel to the fire blazing within her, "I won't let you get away with what you've done!"

Zancrow chuckled to himself, "So what? Are you going to call the police?" His lips contorted in a malicious grin, "I thought you were smart, but now you sound like a child." His gaze suddenly dipped downward and he hummed in appreciation, "Your body on the other hand…is definitely that of a woman."

Red hot fury shot through her veins and she lunged at him before she could properly think things through, fully intent on making him pay for the comment.

Before she could even so much as lay a finger on him, his hand shot to the back of her head and fisted in the hair at the base of her neck, the apostle using his grasp to shove her to the ground. She couldn't even bring herself to catch her own fall, and once she was on the ground, she couldn't find the strength to stand, her adrenaline finally running its course and her body languidly refusing to obey her mind's desperate commands.

"L-Lucy…" her heart ached as she heard Romeo quietly mumble her name.

She'd failed him.

Zancrow let out something she could only describe as an exasperated growl as he crouched down next to her fallen frame, his hands immediately landing on her rear. For a moment, she feared that the worst was going to happen, that he was finally going to follow through his lewd intentions and she wouldn't be able to do a thing to stop it. And the fact that Romeo was so close by only worsened her dread.

But her body was quickly void of his touch, his hand only quickly dipping into her back pocket and receding just as fast.

Her heart didn't get a moment of relief, her eyes widening as the apostle placed what had been in her pocket on the ground in front of her, "Look here, Lucy." His smirk of satisfaction was practically audible as his fingers padded across the screen of Romeo's phone, entering the gallery, "Album, select, delete."

And just like that, her evidence was gone. She didn't know how he knew about the video, but that didn't matter anymore. Her only solid evidence was gone, and with it, her hope for the future.

The train tracks, only a few feet from her face, suddenly began to rattle.

Zancrow let out a dark chuckle, and Lucy's veins flooded with ice when she noticed that Kain, who still stood on the other side of the tracks, was dragging Romeo closer.

Strength and will suddenly shot through her body and she tried to shoot to her feet, but Zancrow's knee came down in the center of her back, his hand fisting in her hair once more and yanking her head upwards, forcing her to watch.

Lucy clawed against the ground in a fruitless attempt to drag herself away from him, tears already streaming down her cheeks and fear choking voice as she shrieked, "Romeo, no! Run away!"

As the train curved around a cluster of trees and came into view, Kain visibly tightened his grip on the teen, the boy's voice small as he fearfully called "Lucy…"

Zancrow hummed once more, "Now then, let's send Romeo to meet the Almighty."

"Romeo! No!"

The ground itself began to vibrate as the train came closer, and Kain shoved Romeo forward, the boystumbling onto the tracks.

The threads holding Lucy together snapped.

Her hands instinctively shot to her ears as the train whirled past, and her face fell forward into the dirt as Zancrow's hand disappeared from the back of her head.

The vibrating stopped, and for Lucy, all sound faded into silence, and she was perfectly still.

Cold tears numbly slid down her cheeks, her hands slowly falling from her ears as she quietly breathed out, "Romeo…stay hidden…stay hidden until I come and find you."

She blankly stared forward, her gaze focused on one lone blue sneaker that lay in the middle of the train tracks.

* * *

 **AN**

 **Wow, only seven chapters in and we already have two deaths. That's the last death for a while though, so don't be too concerned. Sting's and Romeo's deaths are essential for how Lucy's character develops, and this is definitely the breaking point for her, so from this point on, everything about the way she's handling things will change…and thus we enter my favorite portion of the story.**

 **We'll find out a little more about Natsu and Gray in the next chapter, though once again, it'll be more Lucy-centric. Also, the event for which this fic is named takes place next chapter, and its the moment that really sets off the story, so its one I'm looking forward to publishing very much ;)**

 **As always, thanks for reading! And thanks to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed!**

 **See you next Friday!**


	8. Chapter 8: Frailty

**Chapter Eight**

 **Frailty**

The sun had just barely begun to peak over the mountains surrounding the isolated town of Magnolia, casting an orangey yellow hue upon three figures stranded on the side of a forest road.

Lucy stood in between the other two, her right shoulder weighted down by Kain's heavy hand as he held her place. But even if his hand hadn't been there, she wouldn't have tried to run, the blonde just staring numbly, silently forward as the blood streaming down her face finally began to lessen its flow.

The headlights of a van suddenly shown upon them as a car rounded the bend just ahead, and Zancrow shifted on his feet behind the blonde girl as another Zentopia van, one that hadn't been driven off the side of a cliff, pulled to a stop in front of them.

Ultear exited the passenger seat's door before the van had even come to a complete halt, her strides purposeful and her painted red lips pulled tight in a grim line as she closed the distance between herself and the group of three, her heels clacking against the pavement.

Her right palm smacked against Zancrow's cheek without a word, and the blond apostle simply took the blow, licking his chapped lips and not bothering to turn his head from where it'd twisted after her slap. He grabbed at the base of his skull, hissing out, "God…my neck. You could've at least given me a heads up before smacking me."

Ultear's lips remained tightly pressed together as she glanced at Lucy's pale face, the blonde numbly swaying on her feet and her eyes blearily staring off at nothing. The dark haired apostle whipped her gaze back to Zancrow, firmly prying, "Any injuries?"

The blond man reluctantly lifted his hand to show the bloodied, hastily-wrapped cloth that covered the hole Lucy had left behind by stabbing the screw driver through his palm, the blond apostle swallowing heavily as if in shame at having been injured by the likes of the smaller girl.

"I wasn't asking about you," Ultear ground out. "Is _Lucy_ hurt?"

Zancrow scoffed to himself, running his tongue across his lips once more as his gaze fell to the pavement, "She's got a few scratches, but that's it. I looked her over myself."

Ultear didn't seem to be at all relieved, her eyes still blazing fiercely as she pressed, "You know that she's special, right? If any harm befalls her, there will be a reckoning."

"Of course," Zancrow chuckled to himself, "She's the key to our salvation, after all."

* * *

"Our body and spirit must always be clean when we meet our Spiritual Father," Ultear dabbed at the blood on Lucy's temple as the blonde sat in the seat next to her, Kain having taken the passenger seat and Zancrow seated on Lucy's other side as the driver took them back to Zentopia. The dark haired apostle had dampened the cloth with the Life Water she always carried on her person, and she knew that with the holy liquid cleansing the blonde's wounds, they would heal in no time.

Such was the power of their Spiritual Father, and the grace of their Almighty.

"Lucy," Ultear started gently, her hands falling back into her lap now that she'd done the best she could at ridding the blonde's pale skin of its marring red splatters and streams. "You have your cell phone, right?"

The girl's eyes finally shifted from where they'd been numbly staring off into space, her pupils not exactly focused on the apostle, but at least looking downwards in her direction.

"In order to overcome this, you must desert all worldly things," Ultear expectantly held out her palm.

Lucy's eyes finally trailed up from the apostle's hand to the dark haired woman's face, her features blank.

"Come on," Ultear pressed, extending her hand out further in insistence. "Give it to me."

The blonde's gaze retreated forward, her hand slowly dipping into her pocket. Before she could withdraw her fingers fully once more, Ultear snatched the phone from her grasp, the girl's hand numbly floating in the air after the fact.

Lucy silently watched on as the screen of her phone flashed to life at Ultear's touch, the photo of her and Sting that she'd chosen as her background greeting her tired, worn gaze. It was the last picture she'd taken with her twin before his accident all those years ago, and as the dark haired apostle powered the phone off completely, she blankly stared at the screen as her and Sting's faces faded into black.

* * *

Lucy swayed on her feet as Ultear guided her into Precht's office, her head feeling weightless and her body ready to collapse at any moment. She felt incredibly vulnerable and incapable, and upon seeing her father's face as he stood from one of the couches and spun to face her, all of her old habits came flooding back. Tears gathered in her eyes as she stumbled out of Ultear's grasp and towards him, her voice choked as she sought comfort from the man whom had always protected her from her sorrows when she was young, "Dad…R-Romeo is…He's…"

Jude's hands shot to her shoulders, his fingers digging into her flesh hard enough to bruise as he shook her weak frame in tandem with his shouting, "Why…Why would you do such a thing?! Do you really want to end up in the fiery pits of hell for eternity by following the devil?!"

The blonde's eyes widened in disbelief as her form began to tremble, "You…you think that _I_ did it? Dad, please don't believe whatever they told you! Please…don't do this…"

"I can't take this anymore," his hands fell from her shoulders, retreating to curl into fists at his sides. "Starting from today, I want you to fast with me and pray to the Almighty in repentance." His voice grew more firm, "No matter what happens, I'm not going to give up on you."

"He's right, Lucy," Ultear softly affirmed, taking an earnest step towards the blonde. "We won't give up on you, no matter how much you refuse. Our Almighty will always love you, and so shall we."

The blonde girl's gaze numbly peeled from her father, her eyes staring off at nothing once more.

If only they would give up on her, then maybe she'd finally be free. It didn't seem to matter how much trouble she caused them or how openly she tossed their practices aside, they were alarmingly persistent, and it absolutely terrified her. Her father aside, none of the people here seemed to genuinely care for her, though now she was even questioning his love for her, too. They never asked her how she was nor did they seem to want to know any details about her life so they could get to know her better. But still, for some reason, they were desperately trying to keep her close, almost like losing her would be an intolerable, tragic loss.

The door at the back of the office, the one that lead to Precht's personal quarters, was suddenly slammed open, and the preacher himself rushed into the room, hurriedly coming to stand in front of the blonde and gripping both of her hands between his own, "Lucy, I'm glad you're safe." He gazed down at where her hands were clasped in his, "Your hands are freezing."

Lucy's trembling only grew stronger as he ran his fingers over the skin on the back of her hands. The genuine concern in Precht's expression and tone terrified her, the man acting more like he'd almost lost a valuable prize rather than a girl he hardly knew.

Precht turned his apostle, "Help her get warmed up immediately."

Ultear quickly nodded in understanding and came to wrap an arm around the blonde, beginning to lead her away.

"Spiritual Father, my daughter allowed herself to become possessed by the devil and committed a grievous sin. Please punish her in accordance to her transgressions."

"What could you possible mean?" Precht steadfastly began, glancing at the Heartfilia patriarch with his brows furrowed. "Today is a very joyous day. A lost lamb returned to us safe and sound."

Lucy's head lulled forward as she realized that he was using her to preach again. This time, however, she didn't have the will to fight back.

"If she had ended up getting abandoned out in the world on her own, she would've fallen victim to much suffering," the preacher hummed deep in his throat, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked to the blonde, speaking about her like she wasn't even in the room, "You mustn't be too harsh on our dear Lucy. We all are always capable of falling for the devil's temptation. Especially at a time like this where the world is full of pleasure, and the devil may come to us with an innocent mask and tempts irresistibly."

Lucy simply let the dark haired apostle drag her from the room as the preacher continued to speak with Jude. Her father had truly forsaken her now, the man blinded by his belief that he was being a good father by pleading for her salvation.

The truth of how drastically her life had changed in the span of only a few hours was slowly burrowing into her being and leaving her numb, her mind blank of all but one thought.

With Romeo gone, she was now truly and undeniably alone.

* * *

Lucy numbly trailed behind Ultear as the dark haired apostle strode through one of the hallways of Zentopia's boarding building. The woman had let the blonde walk on her own, trusting that she no longer had the drive to protest and run away. But she still kept her pace slow so she didn't lose the girl, always making sure that she could hear Lucy's soft footfalls echoing throughout the empty hallway behind her.

The hallway suddenly went silent as Lucy paused beside the door of a particular dorm, swallowing heavily as her gaze slowly slid to the knob.

Ultear turned back, having noticed the lack of the sounds of her footfalls, "Lucy?"

"Just…just give me a moment," the blonde softly breathed out.

She slowly stepped forward and wrapped her fingers around the knob, her form beginning to tremble once more as the room on the other side was revealed to her gaze. Her focus traveled from the waste basket in the corner that was overflowing with empty apple juice cans to the rumpled comforter atop the red, blue, and green sheets of the bed to the still opened school books littering the top of the desk against the far wall.

Whimpers filled the hallway as she crumbled to the ground, her chest heaving several times as if in warning before her sobbing broke loose full throttle.

Just like with Sting, it was her fault. She'd been the one to insist Romeo be taken to the hospital. She'd been the one to cause the car crash on the way back to Zentopia. She'd been the one to lead him towards the train tracks. She'd been the one that could nothing more than watch on, too weak to do a thing again.

The blonde's wails echoed through the hallway as Ultear crouched down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and leaning to softly whisper into her ear, "It's the silent prayer period. You must be quiet."

Lucy's head fell forward, sobs still slipping through her lips despite the apostle's urgent words for her to calm down.

"Don't forget that your mother is also here with us in Zentopia," Ultear stroked her hand through the blonde's locks for a few moments before she stood and retreated a short distance away, her hands clasped reverently in front of herself as she waited for the girl's breakdown to cease, "You must remain strong for her, correct?"

Lucy stared numbly forward, her cries choking off into silence. Those words weren't a call to action or an attempt at inspiring her to endure. They were a threat, one that clearly registered within the blonde. If she didn't do what they wanted, her mother would suffer the consequences, and another of her loved ones would be taken from her just like that.

* * *

Precht gently cleared his throat as he kneeled before Macao, the single father having crumbled to his knees upon hearing the news, "I saw Romeo standing beside our Almighty in my morning prayers." The preacher set his hand on the man's shoulder as he wept, his voice forthright as he urged, "He was smiling more brightly than ever before, so you needn't be afraid. Pray that you will be able to join him one day."

* * *

Natsu gently grasped Wendy's limp hand between both of his own, mindlessly beginning to play with his little sister's fingers as he rested his elbows on the mattress of her hospital bed. It'd been far too long since he'd been by her side, and his voice was laced with regret as he quietly began, "Wendy…I'm sorry for not coming more often. Whenever I came back to Magnolia…I was reminded of what happened." Tears stung the backs of his eyes as he recalled the past, from the death of the Heartfilia boy, to a broken Lucy ceasing their friendship, to Gray ignoring his cries as he was forcefully carted off to prison. His grip on his sister's hand grew stronger as he softly breathed out, "It was so hard to be here…When I first came back to Mangolia, I walked the streets of town alone for the first time in my life. I didn't have you or Gray by my side like you guys always were back then…and I _hated_ it."

He stood and spun to face the door when it was suddenly pushed open and light laughter fluttered into the room, Wendy's hand never leaving his grasp. His lips pressed into a grim line when Zeref entered, the governor followed by his ever-present blonde assistant.

The older Dragneel paused when he caught sight of his salmon haired brother at Wendy's bedside, his soft grin fading as his eyes drifted to anywhere but Natsu, "When did you get here? You didn't tell me you were coming back to Magnolia."

Natsu let his gaze fall from the governor's face as well, his finger's tightening around Wendy's palm. Zeref had once been one of his sole confidants, but now he felt nothing but discomfort in his brother's presence, "The day before yesterday."

"You should have come to my house and slept there. Spending money at a hotel is a waste."

The salmon haired boy didn't respond, deciding to keep quiet on the matter of why he'd opted for a hotel instead of his brother's home.

After the brief moment of silence, Zeref cleared his throat before quietly starting, "Did something happen in Crocus? Is that why you're here? If I remember correctly, your fall break isn't for another month."

Natsu's eyes followed Dimaria as she took a seat on the other side of Wendy's bed, unable hold back the spite that spilt into his voice as he hissed at his brother, "I know you've already heard about the fight, so why bother asking me?" His brows furrowed in anger when Dimaria pumped some of the lotion on the bedside table into her palm, rubbing her hands together before lifting Wendy's limp arm and begging to massage the bluenette's muscles. The animosity was now flowing completely unrestrained into Natsu's tone as he snapped, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Her gaze lifted to meet his, not an ounce of amity in her voice as she explained the situation as if she were speaking to a child, "Your sister's muscles have become weaker, so she needs to be massaged more often."

"That's not what I meant," Natsu faced the secretary fully, his hands clenched at his sides, "I don't want you touching my sister."

"I asked her to," Zeref stepped forward, rushing to ease the tension that'd built in the room. "I promise I'll take care of Wendy, so you can leave, Natsu."

The salmon haired boy looked back to his brother, chuckling bitterly to himself, "You've never been one to break promises, Zeref...but I don't think I can believe you from here on out."

"What are you getting at?" The governor furrowed his brows, anger beginning to trace his features, "You don't trust me?"

"The promise you made me three years ago," Natsu snapped, not at all intimidated by the indignation in Zeref's expression. He'd been wallowing in his regret for years now, and not even the possibility of earning his brother's resentment could stop him from finally letting all of his thoughts and feelings out, "That was the only way I could salvage my friendship with Gray." His gaze fell to the floor, his jaw clenched as he bitterly hissed, "But now…I don't think I can face him ever again."

Zeref cleared his throat once more, casting his secretary a glance, "Excuse us, please."

Dimaria stood from Wendy's bedside, wiping her hands on a small wash cloth before obeying her boss' wishes, her lips pressed into a displeased line at having been asked to leave.

The sound of soft footfalls was the only sound in the room, Zeref's hands clasped behind his back in a dignified manner that suited one of his status as he paced towards the window. His gaze fell to the garden's that rested two stories below, his focus tracing the very path he and his brother had walked when they'd forged the aforementioned promise, "Natsu…I know this might sound like an excuse to you, but I did my best, too. Whatever the reason was, a boy has become permanently disabled because of Gray. That's why it's difficult to get him out."

Natsu clenched his jaw, his nostrils flaring and his chest tightening in anger. His brother was right. That was an excuse, plain and simple. As governor, Zeref had the ability to pardon certain criminals depending on the severity of their crime, and releasing someone like Gray, a juvenile who had no strong evidence against him, would've poised nothing he couldn't easy surpass, especially if the salmon haired boy had been allowed to testify in favor of him. That was the messed up way of the world, and for once, Natsu had desperately pleaded for his brother to take advantage of the screwy manner of things. At least then, he wouldn't have had to live the last three years without his best friend by his side.

He swallowed heavily at the thought of the raven haired boy, lamenting over how he'd let his best friend be unjustly locked away. His brother's promise of freeing Gray had been his only comfort in the following months after the fact, but even that had fallen through and given rise to nothing.

"I don't believe you anymore," Natsu breathed out, not an ounce of regret in his voice. He didn't care how such a phrase would impact his brother, and he would even go as far as saying he _wanted_ Zeref to feel wounded. He'd spent the last three years suffering because of their broken promise, and in his mind, it was only fair that his brother be subject to the same suffocating feelings of betrayal and abandonment.

Zeref slowly spun to face him, his brows now furrowed not with anger but with hurt, "Are you really going to do this to me?" He retreated from the window, striding around Wendy's bed and coming to stand in front of his younger sibling, his tone an attempt at sounding reassuring, "Fine. I'll meet with the warden of the prison and-"

"Zeref," Natsu sharply cut him off, his lips pressed tightly together and anger lacing his hardened features, "Gray's being released today. If you really did do your best to get him out, how can you not know that?"

The governor visibly scrambled for a response, "I…Natsu, listen-"

"And I guess Wendy didn't want you to become governor," he turned away from his brother and back towards their sister, his throat tightening as he looked her limp body over once more. It didn't matter how many times he'd seen her like this since the accident, it never got easier to witness and bear.

"What?"

"You once said that Wendy would get better and Gray would be released once you were elected." He swallowed heavily as he lifted his gaze, all sorrow gone from his expression and replaced by stone cold resolve, "But…nothing's changed."

His brother's cries chased after him as he stormed out of the room, but he ignored them, his hatred for himself lessening only a fraction and giving way to an overwhelming, momentary reprieve of satisfaction. It felt undeniably good to have the words he'd been aching to say for three years finally dislodged from where they'd been tucked away in his head, and now that they were out in the open, he didn't care what kind of wreckage they were capable of causing.

He was done being submissive to his brother's whims, and if that meant their relationship had been reduced to nothing but ashes, then so be it. Zeref had shown no care for fulfilling the promise that was Natsu's only hope of piecing together the shards of his most essential friendship, and from this point on, Natsu had resolved himself to do the same. He would act in the moment and do what his heart told him was right without thinking of the consequences. All of his regrets had spawned from showing restraint and concerning himself only with the future, and in an attempt to atone for his mistakes, from here on out he'd focus only on the present. That new mindset was what had gotten him kicked out of college, but he certainly wasn't planning on abandoning it any time soon, because he didn't have much left, and he'd be damned if he let it slip away from him.

* * *

Lucy didn't cast a glance towards the door of her mother's room as it was pushed open, her gaze instead remaining focused on her task as she brushed through her mother's blonde locks while the woman sat quietly and blankly stared off at nothing, her hands simply clasped in her lap on top of a copy of Zentopia's holy scriptures. The blonde girl knew who the new arrivals were without even having to look, and sure enough, her father's voice soon began to sound in the formerly peacefully quiet space.

"Lucy, let's go."

The blonde swallowed heavily, still not turning her focus from her task as she indifferently asked, "Go where?"

"Spiritual Father granted us permission for your sake," Jude started lowly. "We're going to leave Zentopia for a while and live in town instead."

Lucy's hands froze as her frame tensed in surprise, the brush still only partly pulled through one of her mother's strands. Her focus slowly slid to her father, not yet letting herself get her hopes until she knew all of her other desires were met, "What about mom?"

Ultear suddenly stepped out from behind her father, her hands clasped in front of her and a tight grin on her painted red lips, "It's better for your mother to stay here and continue her treatment, Lucy."

The blonde's solemn gaze retreated to her mother, resuming her brushing and swallowing heavily before she steadfastly replied, "I can't leave her alone in this place."

"Of course," the dark haired apostle smiled softly. "You'll only be going to your home in Magnolia to sleep. This is our paradise after all, so you'll still spend your days here. Please don't worry."

Lucy slowly let out a heavy breath. Of course she wouldn't be completely free of her ties to this place. She had tried to keep herself from getting her hopes up upon hearing her father's words earlier, but even the small fraction they'd ascended had just been completely crushed back down into dust.

"I won't go," she firmly resolved as she stood to face her father and the apostle. "I can't leave mom here alone, even if it's just for the night. We have to take her with us, dad."

"Lucy, dear, your mother will be very well taken care of by Zentopia's apostles, so you needn't worry."

She swallowed heavily, knowing that there was no way she'd leave her mother in this godforsaken place when she wasn't there herself. She might've tried to leave without her mother before, but now that she was willfully being let free, she'd fight to get the last member of their family out so that they could leave this place together, hopefully for good.

The blonde reached down and snatched one of her mother's hands from her lap, beginning to pull the woman out of the bed as she firmly insisted, "She's coming with us."

"Let go of me!"

Lucy's eyes widened at her mother's scream, and her hand was soon yanked out of her grasp. It'd been years since she'd seen her mother react to something so passionately, and the fact that it was done in protest against something Lucy had orchestrated caused the tears to gather once more, the blonde's eyes stinging horribly from how much she'd been crying as of late.

"M-mom…"

Layla's anxiously shook her head, her eyes wide, "This is paradise, Lucy! We have to stay here if we want to meet Sting!"

"See," Ultear smirked as if in victory, satisfaction written across her features as her gaze slid to the blonde girl, "She seems happy here, doesn't she? How could you tear her away from this?"

The tears silently slipped down Lucy's cheeks as Layla began to sing, or rather scream a Zentopia hymn about the Almighty's love for his people, Jude proudly joining in with his wife's song after the first few lines.

This place was hell. It had stolen her parents from her, and there truly was no escape.

* * *

The metal of the prison gates screeched raucously as they were shoved open, and all but one of the group of four boys that emerged were greeted with cries and cheers from their families.

Gray bit his bottom lip as he brought of the rear of the boys being granted their freedom, a wave of bitterness overcoming him as he watched his former prison mates receive warm hugs and halfhearted chastisements from their families. He hauled his small bag of belongings higher on his shoulder as he strode forward on his own, past the crowd of families greeting their sons.

His eyes stung with tears as he left his containment behind, because for him, there was no one, and now, he was truly on his own.

* * *

Lucy suddenly began to feel light headed as she sat between her father and Ultear on the middle bench of one of Zentopia's vans, her stomach giving an awful lurch in tandem with the jostling of the car as they descended the mountain and drove into the valley.

"C-can we please…p-pull over?"

Ultear quirked a brow and cast a glance at the blonde out of the corner of her eye, "What's wrong?"

"I…I need to use the restroom."

In the passenger seat, Zancrow let out an annoyed scoff.

Ultear shot a glare at the back of the blond apostle's head before reaching forward to whap Kain on the shoulder, commanding him, "Pull over."

They stopped at the first gas station they saw, and Lucy swallowed heavily as Ultear exited with her, trailing her all the way into the gas station. The blonde let out a small breath when the cashier recognized the apostle and called her over, thinking that she might finally have a moment on her own. She didn't miss the glance that Ultear cast through the window in the direction of their car to make sure that Zancrow was watching the gas station doors, though the apostle's voice was pleasant enough as she acceded, "Lucy, why don't you go on ahead? I'll follow you in shortly."

The blonde nodded her head softly, knowing that Zancrow was watching her every move through the glass windows at the front of the gas station as she wound her way through the aisles and towards the bathroom at the back of the store. She didn't care whose eyes were on her anyway. At least for the moment, she didn't want to run away. All she wanted was a moment to herself.

She cupped her hands under the water flowing from the faucet she'd twisted on, bringing the small puddle up to her face and running the cool liquid across her skin. It brought momentary physical relief, but as she turned off the faucet and lifted her gaze to look at her reflection, the raw memories of all that had happened bubbled back up to the surface. The cut from the accident two days ago still marred the skin near her right temple, and the rest of her face was still littered with bruises and other scrapes, along with the deep bags discoloring the skin around her eyes. If it weren't for her sweater, she'd be able to see the scrapes and bruises on her arms too, though just the wounds on her face were more than enough to send her spiraling back into her misfortune.

As she stared at her own reflection in the mirror, she loathed herself for her natural and irrefutable resemblance to Sting. Never before had she so strongly cursed the fact that they were twins, and with the scrapes and bruises blemishing the pale skin of her face, she bore a startling resemblance to how he had looked in his last moments before he'd taken the leap that ended his life.

Her chest suddenly and involuntarily heaved, the same lurch from before attacking her stomach again. Her hand flew to cover her mouth as she heaved once more, her panicked feet stumbling into one of the stalls that rested behind her, the door clanking against the wall as she shoved through it in her haste. She collapsed to her knees in front of the toilet, her fingers anxiously clenching onto the sides of the bowl as stomach acid torturously climbed up her throat and forced its way through her mouth.

Wet coughs wracked the blonde's lungs once it was over, her frame collapsing sideways and her upper body slamming against the wall of the stall as tears silently streaked down her cheeks.

How had her life turned out like this? How had she _let_ her life turn out like this?

The back of her head knocked against the stall and lulled sideways as she gave up on holding it straight, and her heart nearly stopped beating in her chest as her eyes naturally shifted with the movement of her head.

There, on the farthest wall of the bathroom, was an opened window, one she could definitely squeeze herself through.

* * *

"I'll kill you if you ever make me come out this far again, you morons!"

Loke chuckled at Juvia's shrinking form as she spat insults at them over her shoulder, her feet clanking along the boardwalk as she stomped back to her delivery car from the benches that rested along the shore of Magnolia's one and only lake. The orange haired playboy let out a heavy sigh as he settled his pizza box on his lap, muttering to himself, "If she keeps that attitude up, she'll never find a boyfriend."

He glanced up at his friends when his joke received no response, and he wasn't surprised to find that Elfman was already busy devouring his newly delivered pizza. The orange haired playboy's grin faded when he glanced in Natsu's direction, however, the boy's salmon hair set aglow by the light of the setting sun as he stared at his pizza box like it was the saddest thing in the entire world.

Loke quirked a brow, "Natsu…you performing a ritual or something?"

"We haven't hung out like this since…you know…" the salmon haired boy swallowed heavily, still staring at his pizza box as he slowly breathed out, "So this is the first time we've ordered only three pizzas instead of four."

Loke's mood plummeted through the ground at that statement, and the three were left to eat in solemn silence.

* * *

Lucy's lungs were on fire and her eyes burned with tears in the cold night. She'd never run so fast in all of her life, and her body still ached with repercussions of the accident two days ago. But she didn't care, only ceaselessly urging her legs to go faster and ignoring the way her lungs screamed for air. She had no idea where she was or in what direction she was heading, but as long as it was away from anyone associated with Zentopia, she didn't care.

Her pace stumbled to a near halt as she came upon a road that ran perpendicular to the path she'd followed from the back of the gas station, her heart soaring as she spotted a police car driving closer to where she stood.

Finally, it seemed she'd encountered a bit of luck.

No matter how stupid it was, she ran out into the middle of the road without hesitation, throwing herself into car's path and spreading her arms out wide. She clenched her eyes shut as the bright headlights came too close for her to bear, her head turning to the side.

The brakes of the car screeched as it slammed to a stop, and the blonde's hands came to rest on its hood as she collapsed forward in relief. Breathes were escaping her in heavy puffs, adrenaline too prominent in her veins for her to have any regret about how reckless she'd been.

The driver's door opened and a pretty white haired cop emerged with her brows pinched together in worry, her voice light as she closed the door and tentatively approached the blonde, "You okay, sweetie?"

* * *

Gray quietly trailed behind the blue haired man he'd met before, the one with the strange maroon tattoo on his face, as he wound through the patrons of the club, the raven haired boy not letting his irritation at the pulsing music and flashing lights show on his features. He knew that if he was going to work here like Jellal had offered yesterday, then he'd have to get used to the club's atmosphere. And although Gray knew his grandmother would've haughtily protested had she known, he'd accepted the offer, returning the following night to meet his potential employer.

Jellal paused at one of the booths that ran along the wall of the club, turning to face the lone man that lounged on the velvet cushions with a glass of wine delicately held between his fingers, his other arm slung over the back of the bench.

Jellal nodded in the raven haired boy's direction as he spoke to the lone man, "This is the guy I told you about yesterday. His name's Gray Fullbuster."

The man before him was the living example of the word 'sleaze ball,' though Gray soon realized that he probably shouldn't have expected any different considering that the man was the owner of a club. His hair hung in greasy brown, almost maroon colored tangles that fell nearly to his shoulders, a mustache of similar hue resting on his upper lip and curling down to reach near his chin. His clothes were tacky and horribly mismatched, though Gray had to admit that the worse part of the assemble was the witch-like hat that sat atop his head.

The corner of the man's painted lips pulled back into a smirk, tilting his wine glass as he examined the raven haired boy before him, "You just got of jail, didn't you? Why do you want to work right away?"

"To make money," Gray bluntly replied, no traces of shame in his tone.

The man shifted his head, tilting it the other way as he glanced at Jellal and smirked in satisfaction, "I like how rude he is." His gaze slid back to the raven haired boy, "Why do you need money? You wanna get laid?"

Gray didn't flinch at the lewd suggestion, steadfastly answering, "I'm gonna buy my grandma a house."

The club owner chuckled to himself, "Prison turned you into a good boy?"

The raven haired boy gave no reaction to the teasing, still staring the man in the eyes dead-on.

After a brief moment more of scanning his eyes over the boy's frame, the man looked to Jellal, his lips still pulled in a smirk, "Teach him well."

* * *

Lucy rested her head against the cold glass of the window of the cop car, hoping it'd clear her head and pull her body out of its exhausted slump. She couldn't believe it was finally happening. She was finally with some people who might be able to help her achieve freedom for good, and she wanted herself to be fully aware and lucid during these next few moments, knowing that they were the determining factor in what happened to her from here on out. She needed them to believe her tales of what had happened inside Zentopia's walls, and she wouldn't let her exhaustion get in her way.

The blond cop in the passenger seat of the car suddenly cleared his throat, leaning over to peer at her in the rear-view mirror as the white haired woman drove them to the station, "What's your name?"

"Lucy," she replied quietly.

"Do you know your parents' phone number?"

She numbly shook her head, her skin still pressed against the cold glass. Her parents weren't just unreachable by phone, but also by reason as well it seemed. Her father's and mother's actions and words over these past three years constantly haunted her conscience, and them gaining the knowledge of her current whereabouts was the last thing she wanted. Not to mention that she was twenty-one now, too, and with her age she had no need for her parents' involvement.

"Then…" the white haired cop started hesitantly, "…where do you live?"

Lucy swallowed heavily, her eyes blankly staring out the foggy window, "I don't have a home."

The woman cast her a worried look in the rear-view mirror, though before anyone could say more, the blond cop's phone buzzed in his pocket.

"What now?" he muttered under his breath in annoyance before pressing the phone to his ear, "Hello?" His expression faltered for a moment before his gaze shifted to the blonde girl in the rear-view mirror again, still speaking into his phone, "What? Really?" He momentarily paused as he listened to the person on the other line, sighing heavily once they were finished, "Yeah, I got it."

"Who was it?" the white haired cop asked lightly after he'd hung up.

He didn't give his partner an answer, only glancing at her before twisting in his seat to face the blonde girl fully, his brows furrowed, "You're a member of Zentopia?"

Lucy's head shot up from where it'd been resting against the window, her brown eyes wide as her breathing quickened in panic. Her hand latched onto the handle of the nearest door, hopelessly tugging on it and banging on the window with her other hand, "Let me out! Please, you have to let me out now!"

The blond cop cast an apprehensive glance at his partner before looking back to the girl having a meltdown, "The hell?"

The woman kept driving, her eyes still focused on the road but her voice louder and more anxious as she caught sight the blonde's panic in the rear-view mirror, "Sweetie, you have to calm down!"

Lucy unbuckled her seatbelt, shooting forward and latching onto the white haired cop's shoulder as she began full on sobbing, "Please, help me! I'm begging you, don't make me go back!"

* * *

Mira smiled warmly as she opened the back door of her car for the blonde, doing her best to sound gentle and unintimidating, "It's okay, Lucy. You can get out now."

The girl swallowed heavily, the lights shining on the outside of the police station catching in the tear tracks on her cheeks. She hesitated for a moment, but after seeing the kindness in the white haired cop's gaze she slowly, exhaustedly scooted herself along the back seat and towards the door. Something about the woman automatically made Lucy feel like she could trust her, though she wasn't quite sure what that something was. Maybe it was that while the blond cop was staring at her apprehensively as if she was crazy and might have another breakdown, his partner had nothing but concern in her features. There wasn't an ounce of judgement in her gaze as she helped Lucy from the back of the car, gently grabbing her arm to help her stand on her shaking legs.

Laxus shut the door after them before walking ahead to enter the station, and Mira moved to lead the girl after him, but the blonde stood firm, prompting the white haired cop to spin and face her.

Lucy desperately clutched onto the other woman's forearms, shakily breathing out, "You…you have to help me. D-did someone from Zentopia-"

"Lucy!"

Her eyes widened at the cry of her name from the steps leading into the station. It was a voice she'd known her entire life, and although it used to fill her with warm comfort, now, it only made her feel numb.

Just as she had expected, when she turned toward the call, her father was descending the steps and rushing towards her, the three apostles from Zentopia following in his stead.

She stood unflinching as he grasped her shoulders, still desperately clutching onto one of the white haired cop's hands as he jostled her in rhythm with his shouting, "How could you disappear on us like that? I looked everywhere for you!"

"Lucy, your father was very worried about you," Ultear reprimanded. Her crimson eyes shifted towards the blonde cop, "Sergeant Dreyar, I'm sorry we're always pestering you for help."

He quirked a brow, sounding somewhat apathetic as he heavily sighed, "I guess it's the least I could do. You're always taking in the destitute and homeless. It helps keep the streets of Magnolia clear."

The dark haired apostle smiled warmly and softly nodded her head, "Of course."

Laxus' gaze shifted to his partner, glancing down at where she and the blonde girl were still connected, "What are you doing? Let 'em take her home."

Mira startled a bit as the group's attention suddenly shifted towards her, momentarily gazing down at the blonde's pale fingers as they wrapped around her own hand, "Oh…of course."

"Thank you. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't found her." Jude stepped forward to grab his daughter's arm in place of the white haired cop, "Let's go."

"No!"

Everyone's eyes widened a fraction at the formerly docile blonde's sudden outburst, the girl yanking her hand out of her father's grasp and stumbling backwards a few steps. She anxiously shook her head, her chest heaving with strained breaths as her gaze slowly traveled over every member of the group around her.

She suddenly shot towards Laxus and desperately grasped onto his arm, tears streaming down her cheeks as she hopelessly pleaded, "Officer, you have to help me!"

The blond cop was practically holding her up, his eyes anxious darting around at the crowd around them, "W…what?"

Lucy pressed herself closer to him in distrust of those around them, anxiously whispering, "These people… _they're murderers._ They…" her voice grew choked, "…they killed Romeo on the train tracks." At the haunting memory, her legs started to give out on her and her hands began to slip from her grasp on Laxus' arm. Mira rushed forward to catch her before she could fall completely, the blonde all but collapsing into her arms.

Laxus glanced back at Ultear, displeasure written across his features as he stared at the blonde sobbing against his partner's chest, "Shit…you were right about her. Glad we found her when we did."

The blonde girl faltered in her sobbing at his words. What lies had they told him about her?

Ultear pensively nodded her head, her hands clasped humbly in front of herself.

"Take better care of her and see to it that she doesn't run off again," Laxus advised. "The world's a scary place."

"Lucy was there when the accident with Romeo occurred, and it appears it affected her more than we originally thought," the dark haired apostle solemnly remarked.

' _Accident?'_ What had happened wasn't an accident. They'd probably used his disability as an excuse, but it was a lie. _All of it_ was lies. The entire religion and everything it was founded on. Everything they prophesized and promised to their followers. It was all fake.

"If she's not mentally stable," Laxus continued, crossing his arms over his chest, "you really shouldn't let her off on her own."

"I'm not insane!" Lucy spat in his direction before tearing herself out of Mira's embrace and hurriedly stumbling towards her father, catching herself on his shoulders before clenching one of her hands into a fist and pounding on his chest, "Don't just stand there! Say something!"

"Please stop this, Lucy!" He gripped her shoulders once more, "Please stop, I'm begging you! My heart aches whenever you act like this! With your mother in the condition she's in, I can't bear to see you like this! Please, get a hold of yourself!"

Her hands numbly reached up to fist in his shirt just beneath the collar, never breaking eye contact with him despite how weary she was, "D-dad…"

His voice grew less pleading and more firm, "The things you're seeing right now are all lies created by the devil. Why do you keep falling for their temptations? Don't you remember? Spiritual Father said the devils are all liars and murderers."

Lucy's hand slowly uncurled from the fabric of his shirt and she faintly stumbled backwards, Ultear rushing forward to catch her. The blonde weakly yanked against her grasp, her struggles quickly growing more frantic, "Let go of me. I said let go!"

The dark haired apostle fruitlessly attempted to console her, "Lucy-"

"It's all your fault!" the girl shrieked. "It's all your fault my mom and dad are like this!"

"Almighty, please forgive me," Jude whispered, his eyes on the dark night sky above them and his face lined with deep traces of sorrow. "This is all because I haven't prayed hard enough."

Lucy finally succeeded in yanking herself out of Ultear's grasp, her frame falling against her father's chest once more. He never once stopped gazing heavenward, even as she desperately pleaded, "Dad, please don't do this! If you keep acting like this…" She started to sink downward as she choked out, "…I think I'll really go insane."

She crumpled to her knees in front of him, her hands now fisting in the bottom of his shirt as she cried to herself, pleading to whatever god was _really_ up there, not Zentopia's _fabricated_ , _dear_ Almighty, that everything would just stop; that some sort of salvation would miraculously find her in this moment, when everything, even herself, was truly falling to pieces.

Her father suddenly placed his hand atop her head, his fingers firmly squeezing against her skull. She tentatively opened her eyes and numbly lifted her gaze to his face, tears still silently streaking down her cheeks.

His lips were pulled back in a snarl, utter hatred and distaste on his features as he ground out, "Our savior Almighty, who has defeated death by the blood of the lamb, I believe in you."

Mira hurriedly stepped forward, ignoring Jude's glare as she anxiously grasped the wrist of the hand he had rested on Lucy's head, "Sir, please don't do this here."

Zancrow's hand wrapped around the cop's elbow and dragged her back towards her partner, leaving her wide-eyed at Laxus' side as he ground out, "You shouldn't mettle in family affairs that don't concern you."

The blonde girl winced as Jude began to press down on the hand that he had on her head, his voice growing louder and echoing around the empty station parking lot, "My dear Almighty, please aid my helpless, poor daughter. Please defeat the devil that resides in her body!"

Lucy's fingers exhaustedly clawed up her father's shirt, her eyes wide as she breathily quivered out, "D-dad…"

Zancrow and Ultear fell to their knees on either side of the girl, taking hold of her arms to hold her in place and pulling them away from her body as they bowed their heads in prayer.

"I command you, devil, in the name of the Almighty! You shall leave the body of my loving daughter this instant!" He raised his hand high into the air above his head only to slam it back down on the blonde's head, repeating the action again and again.

Mira's hand shot to cover her mouth, horrified at the display. The man's large hand was squeezing and hitting the girl's head far too hard to be anything other than physical abuse, his grip shaking her skull to and fro as he screamed. It was blatantly obvious to the white haired cop that something was up with the girl, but she had a feeling that it wasn't the insanity the apostles had described. And if anything, the apostles and the blond man before her seemed more insane than the girl.

She desperately grabbed onto her partner's arm, pleading for him to do something, "Laxus!"

He gave no indication that he'd even heard her plea, his eyes wide as he silently stared on.

"Out! Leave!" Jude brought his hand down to accent every sharp word that shot through his lips, small whimpers slipping through the blonde girl's lips with every impact.

Mira took notice of the girl's loosening fists, not missing the way her body was beginning to weakly sway. But still her father beat at her, crying for a purge.

The girl's body suddenly tumbled to pavement, unconscious and limp in the shadow of her father who stood above her, his hand still raised above his head.

Ultear was breathing heavily as if in excitement as she stood, her hands clasped in front of her chest as she turned to Jude, "The Almighty has saved her! He's surely heard your prayers!"

The two cops watched on with wide eyes as Kain silently stepped forward and lifted the unconscious blonde from the ground, carrying her towards the Zentopia van, which had been parked on the side of the station. Jude and Ultear quickly followed, Zancrow staying behind to talk to the officers after Mira had tentatively, worriedly called out, "I…I reallly think you should take her to the hospital."

The blond apostle put on his best attempt at an amicable grin, "Those who are physically sick go to the hospital, but not those with ill souls. Our Almighty is a skilled healer, so you needn't worry about the girl." He smirked and bowed his head forward a fraction in gratitude, "Thanks for saving Lucy, but your involvement in our affairs ends here." He turned his back on them and stalked towards the van without another word.

Mira anxiously turned to her partner, "Laxus…are we really just going to let them go? That was obviously domestic violence!"

The sergeant quirked a brow, letting out a heavy sigh after moment and turning to head into the station, "Like that guy said, it's really not our place to get involved. They're a religion after all, and how they go about their practices is out of our control. Besides, there was definitely something wrong with that chick."

Mira was left all alone in the parking lot, uselessly watching on as the van drove away. No matter what reasons her partner had given, she knew she wouldn't be able to forget about that girl so easily. The way the blonde had desperately clutched onto her earlier had left a permanent impression, and there had been no insanity in those brown irises, only a desperate cry for help.

* * *

Loke suddenly chucked the peanuts he'd been holding between his fingers back into the container in the center of their table at the Fairy Tail bar, fed up with the unusual, suffocating, and uncomfortable silence that had settled over their normally rambunctious group, "Alright, that's it." He leaned across the wooden surface towards Natsu, his eyes narrowed in skepticism, "What's gotten into you, dude? You're not acting like the Natsu I know at all today."

"He's right," Elfman chimed in from his seat beside the orange haired playboy. "What's wrong?"

Natsu glanced at both of them in turn before dropping his gaze as he chugged the rest of his beer. For the first time, Cana had given the alcohol to them without complaint. Though, they were definitely of age now after all.

The salmon haired boy slammed his now empty glass back down on the table, wiping the back of his hand across his lips. His gaze zeroed in on the crack that ran across his side of the table, the one that his best friend always used to pick at, as he solemnly began, "Today…is the day Gray gets released."

Loke let out a heavy sigh, staring at the beer in his own glass, "We know."

"That's the real reason why you came back to Magnolia, isn't it?" Elfman confidently speculated.

Natsu sat quietly for a moment, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth before gravely nodding his head.

"It's not too late," Loke started hopefully. "We can still go see him."

"Before I moved to Crocus, he rejected every single one of my visits," the salmon haired boy recalled bitterly. "You really think he'd want to meet me _now_?"

His question was meant with no response, his words simply hanging in the air and further adding to the suffocating atmosphere of regret.

"We need more alcohol…" Loke solemnly turned his head sideways, screaming out into the middle of the restaurant, "Cana! We need more drinks!"

Like always, the brunette appeared seemingly out of nowhere, tossing another basket of fries onto the table as she grumbled, "You guys haven't changed a bit since you were in high school. At least order some real food."

Once she was gone, Natsu irately sighed to himself, "She's right. Three years have passed…but nothing's changed."

* * *

Light jostling accompanied by the hum of an engine greeted Lucy's senses as she slowly pulled her mind out of its foggy haze, exhaustedly peeling her eyes open and struggling to focus on the sight of above her.

Her gaze widened when she realized that her head was resting in Ultear's lap.

She shot up straight in her seat, her vision nearly blacking out again at the sudden movement, but she forced herself to stay lucid, fiercely glaring at the apostle and demanding an explanation for how she'd wound up in this situation. She couldn't yet remember anything before she'd been asleep, her memory still hazy and stuck in the fog of unconsciousness.

"I'll wake you when we get there, so lie down and get some more rest."

The blonde glanced over her shoulder to find that her father had opted to sit in the back seat, most likely to give her more room to lay down.

Ultear offered her a warm smile, "Do you feel better after being prayed for?"

It all came back to Lucy at once, more anger flooding through her as she recalled what had happened in the parking lot of the police station.

Still feeling inconsolably tense, the blonde hissed, "It's you guys who are the devils. Not the people of the outside world."

"Lucy," Jude firmly warned.

Tears lined the bottom of her eyes, just like they always had as of late, as she turned to glare at her father, not an ounce of restraint or regret in her voice as she spat, "You're just like them."

He ignored her words, a soft grin suddenly melting onto his features as he hummed, "I feel happy and at ease when I'm at Zentopia. Going into town gives me headaches now. I don't know how I lived here in the past."

"It's because this world is full of evil souls," Ultear's smile widened. "We should be grateful, for we've been chosen by the Almighty. He's given us the strength to overcome our trials."

Kain suddenly slammed on the breaks after turning a corner, the raucous noise of the wheels screeching against the pavement sounding in chorus with the smashing of something against the front of the van.

* * *

Natsu groaned, painstakingly dragging his leg out from under his tipped motorcycle. He glanced over at Elfman and Loke, finding that Elfman had steered their motorcycle into a stack of cardboard boxes on the edge of the ally at the sudden appearance of the other vehicle from around a corner. Knowing they were okay, he turned his heated glare to the driver of the van that'd crashed into him head on and could've killed him if he didn't have his sharp reflexes.

The passenger side window rolled down, a man with long blonde hair and piercing red eyes leaning out, "You ain't hurt, are you?"

Natsu pushed himself to his feet, huffing out a breath as he tore his helmet off and gave the man a heated stare for his rather insincere beginning, not even offering him so much as an apology.

The man gave him a smug grin, "We're goth mutually at fault, right? So there's no need to get insurance involved in this." Natsu huffed out a disbelieving scoff as the man held out a wad of cash, "Here, let us settle things nicely without any trouble."

The salmon haired boy took a step closer, ignoring Loke's hiss of pain as Elfman tugged him out of the pile of smashed boxes, "I'm guessing you don't pay attention to many laws, do you?" He was standing just outside the window now, "If you hit a biker, you automatically take seventy percent of the blame, and I take thirty percent. And to make it worse, this is a one-way street, and you hit us coming from the wrong way. That makes it _one hundred percent_ your fault."

The sliding back door of the van was suddenly pushed open, and Natsu was slightly taken aback by the dark haired woman that emerged. Upon first glance, he never would've expected someone with her looks to be associated with the sleazy blond in the passenger seat. But as she came closer, he caught on to her sinister gaze, her crimson irises nearly a perfect replica of the blond man's own.

Despite the displeasure in her gaze, she greeted him with an amicable grin as she began, "I believe we've made an awful mistake. We're sorry."

Loke and Elfman finally made it to their friend's side, the orange haired playboy letting out a heavy sigh, "Look, I didn't want to bring this up, but my brother's a police officer. If you don't want to settle things properly, then should I give him a call?"

The woman's lips pressed into a thin line, her gaze cold and calculating, "Since this was our fault, of course I believe we should settle things properly. But…" her voice took on a sharper tone, "…I can smell the alcohol on you three from here." She sent a pointed look in Loke's direction, "Should we go to the station your brother works at and have your blood-alcohol level measured?"

None of the three boys responded, their gazes all awkwardly dropping to the pavement in defeat.

"Then let's settle things here, alright?" A hint of satisfaction slipped into her tone, the displeasure in her gaze turning into vindication.

Natsu gave up then, nodding his head and clearing his throat as Loke sourly snatched the wad of cash from the blond man's grasp. He didn't have the drive to keep arguing with the woman, especially since she seemed to be the type of person that could handle and find her way out of any situation, no matter the severity. And after all, despite of his complaining, he was completely fine, and at a glance, so was his bike. He'd definitely had worse crashes, and the few bruises he'd likely gain from this small tumble were nothing he couldn't recover from in the matter of only a few days. He'd just been too pissed off at the current way of things in general when he'd first demanded they take responsibility, but now, even that anger had been overtaken by his overall exhaustion.

A car turned further down the alley, the headlights flooding in through the door the dark haired woman had left open and illuminating the formerly dark space.

Natsu glanced up purely by chance, but what he found in the back of the van during that mere moment of brightness had his eyes widening, his entire frame tensing, his blood freezing, and his stomach dropping.

A pale face he hadn't seen in three years was illuminated there, framed by limp locks of gold. Bruises, scrapes, and other discolored patches marred the skin that he had always known to be perfectly clear, and her hair hung in tangled, dirty knots that fell nearly to her waist line.

Her dead, tear-filled eyes were boring into his, and two words, so quiet that he almost didn't catch them, escaped her in a single, trembling breath, "Save me."

* * *

 **AN**

 **YAS We finally got to it! The moment where everything changes and the _real_ story begins~**

 **The nalu moments will slowly begin trickling in from here on out, too! Plus, there'll be more on Jellal and that scene with Mira and Laxus later.**

 **The next chapter is a wild one and it's the longest so far: We'll see how this scene plays out, we get more of Gray, another character is introduced, we'll find out some specifics on what exactly the cult is planning for Lucy, and there will be a little something between Natsu and Gray.** **Oh my, so many things to look forward to~**

 **I hope you enjoyed!**

 **As always, thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9: Ruin and Resolve

**Chapter Nine**

 **Ruin and Resolve**

 _A car turned further down the alley, the headlights flooding in through the door the dark haired woman had left open and illuminating the formerly dark space._

 _Natsu glanced up purely by chance, but what he found in the back of the van during that mere moment of brightness had his eyes widening, his entire frame tensing, his blood freezing, and his stomach dropping._

 _A pale face he hadn't seen in three years was illuminated there, framed by limp locks of gold. Bruises, scrapes, and other discolored patches marred the skin that he had always known to be perfectly clear, and her hair hung in tangled, dirty knots that fell nearly to her waist line._

 _Her dead, tear-filled eyes were boring into his, and two words, so quiet that he almost didn't catch them, escaped her in a single, trembling breath, "Save me."_

The car completed its turn, and darkness enveloped the back of the van once more.

Natsu still numbly stared at where her face had been, his brows furrowed as he thought that maybe the sudden appearance of the blonde had just been a product of the beer he'd downed earlier.

The dark haired woman he'd been conversing with suddenly stepped into his line of sight, the door behind her simultaneously being pulled shut by someone from within the van. She gave him a questioning, daring look, her calculating red eyes scanning over his features, "Is there something else you wanted to say?

Still questioning whether or not he'd really seen the blonde, he stared at the woman before him in silence for a moment, letting out a heavy sigh and retreating back to his still tipped bike, brushing past Loke and Elfman, "Forget it. Let's go."

Both parties retreated to their respective vehicles, Natsu and Elfman righting their bikes before Loke took a seat behind the Strauss boy, the salmon haired boy staring at the van with narrowed eyes as it backed up a bit onto the perpendicular road it'd come from before turning back into the alley and driving away in the right direction.

He clenched his hands on his motorcycle handles, tentatively tearing his gaze away from the van for the briefest of moments to glance at his friends, "Did…did you guys see her, too?"

Elfman nodded, his gaze similarly focused in the direction of the van while Loke confusedly looked between the two, stretching out the aching shoulder he'd landed on during the crash, "What? Who?"

Natsu let out a heavy, regretful sigh. He should've done something after all. And just like that, another regret was added to a list of many.

His eyes trailed off to where the van had disappeared around a bend in the alley a short distance ahead of them, "It was Lucy, right?"

"Lucy?" Loke confusedly repeated the name, trying to recall why it sounded it so familiar, "Lucy…you mean the pretty blonde from Crocus? Didn't she just kind of fall off the face of the earth after her brother died? I thought she moved back to Crocus." At his friends' somber silence, he looked between them once more, "So…what about her?"

"She said something..." Natsu started, deep in thought, "and she was looking right at me, too." He briefly glanced at his friends before turning his face forward, his features showing pure determination as he revved his bike, "She asked me to save her."

* * *

"Natsu! You know that this is fucking insane, right?!"

The salmon haired boy ignored Loke's cries from where he and Elfman were driving behind him, only clenching his hands tighter on the handles of his motorcycle. He didn't care if what they were doing was crazy, he'd already decided that he'd follow his gut from now on, and it was pure instinct that was driving him forward.

It hadn't been hard to find the van, their motorcycles able to travel through the tight alleyways of Magnolia at a much greater speed than the larger vehicle. They now trailed behind it at a safe distance, even turning off to speed through a few alleys every now and then before making their way back to the main road that the van now traveled on, even turning their headlights off to avoid being noticed.

They were going after Lucy, and Natsu would be damned if he didn't help her this time around. He'd ignored her pleas for help in the past, but he was different now, and he would definitely save her, no matter what it took.

* * *

"Ya know," Zancrow started nonchalantly, after they had been driving for some time in silence, "Those boys back there looked like they were around your age, Lucy. You know them by any chance?"

The blonde swallowed heavily. It had been them again. Natsu and his two friends, Loke and Elfman, whom she'd never had the chance to officially meet. How the salmon haired boy always managed to show up in her most dire time of need was beyond her, but she desperately prayed that this time around, he would answer her cry, _if_ he'd even heard her in the first place. She hadn't risked talking louder than a whisper for the sake of not being overheard by the men in the car with her, but given Natsu's reaction, it'd seemed like he understood.

At her lack of an answer, her father took the liberty of responding to Zancrow for her, "Well, Lucy dropped out shortly after we moved here, so she probably didn't have the chance to make friends."

That wasn't entirely false, but definitely not the whole truth either. Even if she had attended high school in Magnolia for a little less than two weeks, the interactions that she'd shared with the salmon haired boy and his friends during her time there had made it hard for her to forget them, and she knew that the same must be true for Natsu and Gray.

She briefly wondered why the raven haired boy wasn't with them, knowing that the group of four were the type of friends that were always together, no matter what. But then again, she'd never heard the specifics of his imprisonment, and it saddened her to think that he may still be locked away for a crime he hadn't committed. A bitter chuckle threatened to escape her lips when she realized that they were still kindred spirits after all, both of them having spent the last three years being held against their will in a place that brought them torment.

But a new thought soon took precedence in Lucy's mind and her eyes widened as she gazed out her window, catching sight of a pair of motorcycles slipping in between the spaces of the buildings at her left. She pressed her hand against the glass and slowly inhaled when the lone rider of the bike at the front of the pair glanced her way, and her eyes connected with a pair of onyx orbs.

It was him.

* * *

Just as the van disappeared over the crest of a hill, the motor of Natsu's motorcycle began to make peculiar popping sounds, black smoke rising up into his face from underneath the structure.

Maybe his bike hadn't survived the crash unscathed after all.

"Dammit!" he hissed as he felt it slowing to a stop, fruitlessly twisting his wrists and urging it to go faster. He'd lost Elfman and Loke back in an alley, their larger load preventing their bike from making as sharp of turns as his could, and with them out of the picture, he was the only left who could follow the blonde.

He abandoned his bike completely, uncaring as it smashed onto its side in his haste and making a mad dash up the rest of the hill, running as he fast as he could.

His heart dropped when he reached the hill's peak, the van long gone and lost in the maze of roads that branched off into the residential district of Magnolia. He ripped his helmet off his head, chucking it to the pavement as he let out a furious, wordless shout.

He'd failed her again.

* * *

Lucy flinched as Kain slammed the door to her new room behind her. The pale, brutish male had kept a tight grip on her shoulder during their short walk from the car, and Ultear, Zancrow, and her father had all kept a wary eye on the blonde on their way to the front gate of the wall that surrounded their new home.

Ultear had told them that the house once belonged to a former patron of Zentopia who'd died of stomach cancer a few years back, and upon his death he'd left all he owned to the church.

The blonde curled in on herself when she peered through the window of her room, barely distinguishing the metal shine of bars that ran vertical only a few inches away from the glass from the darkness of night outside.

They'd really taken extra care to make sure that she couldn't run, and now she felt more like a prisoner than she ever had before.

The room was empty, which meant there was no bed for her to collapse onto for a moment of reprieve. So instead, she pressed her back against one of the walls, and slowly slid to the floor, pulling her legs into her chest and resting her arms atop her knees so she could bury her head in them, the first of her tears slipping free as she heard her father lock her bedroom door.

* * *

With all that had just happened and remnants of adrenaline still lingering in his veins, Natsu wasn't in the mood to retire to his hotel room just yet. So he'd gone to visit Wendy again, not having gotten his fill of being in her presence because of Zeref's unexpected arrival earlier.

He switched on the lamp on her bedside table, letting out a heavy sigh when he found that her eyes were still open, focused at least somewhat in his direction, "You still haven't gone to bed?"

Just like he'd been expecting, there was no response.

The salmon haired boy quirked a brow when he noticed that she had earphones in, and he let out a small chuckle when he realized that it was one of the voice recorders he'd sent her during his time in Crocus. Zeref or one of the nurses must've left it playing for her before they left, though Natsu was pretty sure that it was the latter given his brother's sour mood.

He gently removed the earphones, being careful not to pull on her hair, bitterly remarking aloud, "It must've been boring for you to listen to the same thing over and over."

He plopped himself on his usual stool at her bedside after setting the recorder on the table, his lips pulled tight into a thin line as he looked her over, solemnly remarking, "You…somehow look lonely today." He grabbed one of her hands to let her know that she wasn't alone, thinking about how the dead look in his sister's eyes was reminiscent of how Lucy's irises had appeared earlier, "Wendy…There...there was this girl that I used to like, back in high school." A small smile appeared on his face without his knowledge as he recalled the past, not really sure why he was admitting all this now, "She moved here from Crocus senior year..." He let out a bitter chuckle at his own absurdity as he quietly confessed, "I fell in love with her at first sight.

"But..." his smile faded, and his voice lost its reminiscent air, "...when she asked me for help, do you know what I did? I ran away like a coward." He let out a heavy sigh, his hands clasping tighter around his sister's own, "I don't know what she's doing now, or why she asked me to save her...but I can't stop worrying about her. So this time, I don't want to run away." He slowly slid off of his stool to kneel at her bedside, placing his elbows on the mattress and clasping her hand between both of his own, raising it up to gently press his lips against one of her knuckles, "So…help me, Wendy." He rested his forehead against her fingers, hopelessly wishing for a response he knew he wouldn't get, "I…I don't know what to do."

* * *

Lucy was awoken at dawn by her father to await the arrival of the Zentopia apostles so they could be taken to the sunrise service, the blondes now standing beside each other just beyond the front gate of their new home.

The blonde girl numbly looked down as her father grasped her wrist, not a moment of hesitation passing before she demanded with a voice as cold as stone, "Let go of me. I don't want you to ever touch me again," she insisted, quickly peeling her gaze from his face and indifferently watching down the street for the van.

Jude slowly let her wrist fall from his grasp, disappointment lacing his features.

"Mark my words," Lucy vowed, still not glancing in her father's direction. "Even if you end up regretting everything later and beg me and mom for forgiveness, I absolutely won't forgive you. Not after everything you've done."

* * *

To say the least, Gray's first day of work had certainly been more exciting than he'd expected.

He'd been mopping the dance floor alongside the rest of the boys that ran the club before it opened for the day when the intruder had first entered. Through the haze of the pulsing lights as they underwent their daily checks, he hadn't been able to get a good look at the man, only hearing his shouts as he spoke with another employee, demanding to see Jose. And the voice was one the raven haired boy swore he knew, but the man had disappeared into the back of the club before Gray had gotten the chance to move closer and see for sure. He'd gone back to mopping the floor while the silence was momentarily restored, and when the intruder came back into the front of the club was when things started to get interesting. It was then that Gray confirmed the man was definitely someone he knew after all.

Gajeel had come flying back out into the open space of the club pursued by nearly twenty men, Jose's lackies, Gray was sure. The raven haired boy had simply moseyed to lean back against the stage to watch as Gajeel fought with them, tipping tables and even using the stripper poles to swing and kick several of them in the face at once. Jose himself had stood in the back corner, silently and bitterly watching on as his men were taken down one by one. Gajeel had chucked a metal bat, one he'd taken off of his attackers, at the space beside Jose's head before he stormed out of the club, purposefully only narrowly avoiding hitting the man.

The place was absolutely trashed by the end of the fight, the floor strewn with broken wine glasses, tipped tables, and nearly twenty unconscious bodies. While his coworkers began the lengthy task of cleaning it up, Gray left his mop behind, tucking his hands into the pockets of the slacks of his work uniform as he ducked out the club. He started down the stairs to the sidewalk, a smirk lifting the corner of his lips as he strode towards where Gajeel had just swung his leg over a parked motorcycle, "You got beef with Porla?"

"Thought I saw you in there," Gajeel nonchalantly remarked, only partially out of breath from his fight and not seeming the least bit surprised by Gray's presence. "You finally get out, and you choose to work _here_ of all places?"

The raven haired boy glanced over his shoulder at the building behind him, his hand unconsciously coming up to the finger the maroon bowtie that matched the velvet vest he'd been given, "I needed money. I didn't really have the luxury of working somewhere else. Not many places will take a recently released prisoner."

Gajeel quirked a brow, but nodded his head in understanding nonetheless. Prison was where they'd met after all, so he knew how the raven haired boy was feeling better than anyone.

His tone was slightly less snide as he questioned, "You meet up with those friends of yours?"

Gray's gaze fell to the ground as he shook his head, looking almost ashamed of himself as he bit his bottom lip.

"I get it," Gajeel's gaze trailed off, his voice growing bitter. "As you get older, your friends sometimes become your enemies, and your enemies become your friends. It's better not to make ties at all in the first place."

The raven haired boy caught on to the hidden meaning in his tone, "Porla used to be your friend?"

"'Friend' really isn't the correct term," Gajeel's gaze whipped back to him as he let out a heavy sigh, "He took me in off the streets when I was kid. He was the closest thing to a father I ever had. When I was sixteen he placed the blame for a murder he'd committed on me, and he sent me off to prison without a second thought." He chuckled bitterly to himself, "Now that I'm free, I thought I'd finally give the man a piece of mind." His tone suddenly shifted as he looked to the younger boy, "Come find me if you need any help. We're one in the same, both with a lump of iron in our chests...See ya around."

Gray nodded his head and lifted his hand in a wave as the biker sped off. At least now he knew that he wasn't entirely alone in this world after all.

* * *

Lucy silently loaded boxes of goods into the back of one of Zentopia's vans without complaint, the church preparing for another fundraiser in town, just like the one she'd been forced to go on with Sting all those years ago. After last night, she didn't really have the drive to keep physically protesting, but she'd resolved to verbally spite them with every chance she got. Her attempts at escape had gotten her nowhere, so she'd resolved to show them through whatever means necessary that even though she wasn't fleeing, they'd never get her to give in entirely and conform. She hoped that eventually, they'd tire of her and let her free, though she knew that the chances of that happening were slim, at least for the time being.

Ultear approached her from behind, a warm smile on her lips, "Did you sleep well, Lucy? How was your new room?"

Lucy didn't even glance at the apostle, silently continuing on with her task of loading things into the trunk.

"You needn't worry."

And suddenly her father was there, filling in the blanks of all of the conversations she didn't want to have.

"I'm praying hard for Lucy to return to her senses and gather her strength.

Ultear clasped her hands in front of her chest, "Our wishes be fulfilled."

Lucy clenched her jaw. She hated that phrase. There wasn't an ounce of regret or timidity in her voice as she ground out, "Disgusting."

Ultear's gaze slowly slid to her, "Lucy…what did you just say?"

Jude was aghast, "Did you really…"

Lucy turned to face them fully, stating firmly and without restraint, "I said that you're both disgusting."

"Such a foul word shouldn't come from such a pretty mouth."

The blonde clenched her jaw at the new voice that sounded out from behind her. Of course Zancrow would turn up at a time like this.

She spun around to face him and give him a piece of her mind, though her body went rigid when she caught sight of him, his hands gripping the back of a wheelchair with her mother in it.

Layla was staring blankly at her daughter, her brows crinkling in confusion as she mumbled, "Sting already went to school…why is Lucy still here?"

"If you don't want to worry your mother," Zancrow started, his crimson eyes holding a threat and promising retaliation, "you shouldn't say or do bad things from now on. Understand?"

The blonde swallowed heavily at the message his words carried.

How could he threaten her mother so openly? And how did her father not perceive the peril his wife was in when he was looking into the same piercing crimson irises that Lucy was?

Her gaze slowly drifted to the ground, her hands clenching into fists at her sides as a sense of hopeless, which was beginning to grow familiar, weighed down upon her chest once more.

* * *

Gray let out a heavy, weighty sigh as his feet scuffed through the neatly-trimmed grass that grew between the stones sticking out of the ground, a bouquet of daisies delicately cradled in his grasp, along with a carton of fruit. Both the bundle of the flowers and the container were small since they were all he could afford with his meager pay.

He came to a stop in front of one of the stones and kneeled down before it, his voice slightly shaky as he placed the bouquet at the base and held out the carton of fruit towards the grave, "Grandma…I brought dried persimmons, your favorite." He placed the container beside the bouquet as he continued, "How's life on the other side? Your back doesn't hurt there, too, does it? I hope it doesn't."

He lightly ran the tips of his fingers along the 'F' at the front of her last name, thinking over the last time he'd seen her. She'd been sobbing like never before, her hands pressed against the glass that separated them. He'd placed a quick kiss against the window where her right palm rested before he'd been lead back to his cell, a last, futile attempt at comforting her as she was now forced to survive in the world on her own.

She'd died only four months after he'd first been imprisoned.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry for…" he took a deep breath, trying to stop himself from crying, "… for leaving you. For letting you die all on your own." The tears finally fell, his voice choked as he rested his forehead against her grave, "I'm so sorry."

* * *

Ultear turned back to Lucy once she'd exited the van, her hands placed on either side of the door frame to block the exit as she reminded the blonde, "Lucy…remember what Zancrow said earlier. You shouldn't say or do bad things from now on if you don't want your mother to worry about you. Okay?"

Her point having been made, Ultear left the side of the van to go help Kain unload the trunk, and Lucy was grateful that Zancrow wasn't there himself to rub in the leverage they had over her.

Steeling her resolve, she took a few deep breaths before exiting the van, her features purposefully set in cold indifference as she left to promote a church she loathed more than anything else.

* * *

"Natsu!"

The salmon haired boy startled, blearily realizing that Loke had been calling his name for quite some time now. He'd spaced out while leaning back against an adjacent table and waiting for his turn in their game of pool, his focus somewhere beyond the window at his left and his cue clasped tightly between both of his hands.

Loke was giving him a knowing look, "You still thinking about yesterday?"

Natsu let out a heavy sigh, scratching at the back of his head, "I just can't forget about it." His voice grew heavier as he sourly remarked, "She…she looked like shit in all honesty."

"Then should we try looking for her?" Elfman suggested.

Natsu stood and paced closer to the window, leaning on his cue as his eyes aimlessly scanned over the plaza one story below, "You really think we could find her?"

"Well, Magnolia _is_ a pretty small town," the orange haired playboy shrugged. "Plus, with Juvia's help, practically no one's life is private."

"Hey guys," Natsu suddenly shifted on his feet and tightened his grasp on his cue, disbelief in his voice as he focused on the east side of the plaza. "Would you call this a coincidence, or fate?"

The other two rushed to look over his shoulders, incredulity taking over their features as well when they saw what awaited in the plaza below.

There, beside a clustered group of tables that rested in the shade of two large umbrellas, was the very blonde they'd been talking about. She didn't look as torn as she had the previous night, only the faintest hints of scrapes and bruises remaining on her pale face, though Natsu was sure that that had something to do with makeup. She actually seemed to be somewhat aglow in her white sundress, her gold hair having obviously been washed and lightly curled to tumble in waves down her back.

Her eyes though, they were definitely the same as last night, still appearing dead and unfocused.

Natsu's gaze traveled to the tables she was standing by, his eyes skimming over the signs that littered the area. They spoke of a campaign for children in poverty abroad, and sitting at one of those tables, conversing with a boy that looked to be their age, was the same woman from last night, the one who'd swayed them into giving in to her wishes for taking equal blame.

The salmon haired boy's brows furrowed, "What the hell are they doing?"

Loke's nose crinkled, "Something seems kind of fishy."

"It doesn't look like she's in big trouble from here," Elfman remarked. "Why do you think she asked us to save her?"

After staring at the blonde in silence for a moment more, Natsu moved from his spot at the window, nearly chucking his cue back onto its stand on the wall as he started towards the stairs, "I guess we'll just have to go ask her ourselves."

* * *

Lucy had busied herself with appearing like she was skimming over the words on the flyers in her hands, not really processing what she was reading and not bothering to hand them out to passerby anymore. Her blank state was broken when a shadow suddenly fell over the stack of papers she was holding up, and her gaze traveled upward, her eyes widening in surprise when she found Natsu standing before her, his jaw set in determination and his two friends at his flanks, both with similar looks of conviction.

The blonde caught sight of Ultear approaching them in her peripherals, but the apostle stopped a short distance away when the salmon haired boy began to speak.

"Do you really need help?" His voice was firm despite the glares he was receiving from Ultear and Kain, a promise in his voice as he pledged, "If you're in danger…I'll help you."

Before the still wide-eyed blonde could respond, Ultear sharply cut in, "What are you talking about?" She pressed her lips into a thin line and her gaze snapped to the girl, "Tell them yourself, Lucy. Tell them if you're in danger or not."

Lucy's gaze sank to the ground for a moment, her mind consumed by Ultear and Zancrow's earlier words.

" _You shouldn't say or do bad things from now on if you don't want your mother to worry about you."_

She couldn't let her mother get hurt because of her. She couldn't lose the only family she had left, not after losing Romeo and Sting to death and her father to a world of false promises. Jude seemed to be gone entirely, but Lucy knew that if she could get Layla free of Zentopia's clutches and in the hands of someone who could actually help her recover, she could have her mother, her _real_ mother, back again.

Her gaze shakily traveled up to connect with Natsu's, her hands beginning to tremble at her sides.

He must've seen the fear in her irises, his tone much softer than before when he spoke again, "It's okay. If you're really in danger, I swear I'll save you this time."

Lucy could feel everyone's eyes on her. Natsu and his friends, Ultear and Kain, and even a few of the people they'd drawn to the tables behind them to fill out the survey for the fundraiser had shifted their attention to the exchange.

She decided that avoiding his question was her best bet, not wanting to turn his aid away completely but still desperately needing Ultear and Kain to believe that she wasn't admitting her desperate desire to be free of their church.

The blonde dropped her gaze once more, fastening her focus to one of the buttons that ran down the center of Natsu's chest while she spoke. She couldn't look him in the eyes while she said her next words, knowing that if she did, she wouldn't be able to keep herself together. Because just like that first day they'd encountered one another in the rain, there was something familiar about his onyx orbs that made her want to trust him and tell him everything.

"You should just go."

The salmon haired boy shifted on his feet at her blunt response, his brows furrowed, "What?"

Now that she'd started, her courage and resolve had grown, the girl finally feeling able enough to lift her gaze to his, "Please…go away."

His features hardened in anger, almost like he knew she was lying.

Ultear spun on him, a hint of satisfaction in her biting tone, "See? She just said it herself."

He didn't pay the dark haired apostle any mind, insistently keeping his attention fastened to the blonde, "Are you really, _seriously_ telling me the truth right now?"

Her gaze fell to the ground once more, the blonde standing quietly for a moment before she softly nodded her head. She desperately hoped that her moment of hesitation was enough for him to realize how she truly felt.

Ultear stepped in front of the blonde, her back to Natsu as she physically cut off their conversation, her hands gripping the girl's shoulder as she anxiously whispered, "Let's go, Lucy. Your soul will die if you keep interacting with this evil spirit." She tightly latched onto the blonde's wrist, Lucy slightly resisting her hold and lagging behind her, giving her one last chance to look at Natsu and plead with him through her eyes before she was yanked away.

His gaze trailed her the entire she was dragged away, and her eyes never left his, even as she was shoved into a taxi, Ultear closely following her into the cab.

* * *

Speaking to Lucy had only made Natsu more sure of his next plan of action. She'd never given him a direct 'no' when he'd asked her if she was in danger, and her eyes had held the very same desperation as when she'd come pleading for him to help her save her brother all those years ago.

She was in danger, he was sure of it, and he'd resolved to help her no matter what it took.

Elfman had suggested that they try to find out where the blonde lived, or at least where those freaks she'd been with the last two times they'd encountered her lived, and to do that, they needed the best information source Magnolia had to offer.

Pure annoyance was written across Juvia's features as she leaned out the window of her delivery car, her lips pursed and one of her brows quirked in a daring manner.

Natsu ignored her boiling look and cut straight to the chase, "You made any deliveries to some strange people lately?"

The blue haired girl recoiled a bit, quirking a thin brow in confusion as she repeated "What do you mean by ' _strange people_?'"

"For instance," Loke ran his hand in a cascading motion down the back of his head, "A guy with super gross, long blonde hair that really doesn't suit him and a lady that looks like she's shooting lasers through her eyes." He suddenly grew bashful, "And…a really gorgeous blonde from Crocus?"

Juvia stared at him blankly in silence for a moment before bluntly asking, "What kind of bullshit is that?"

Natsu let out a heavy sigh, feeling exasperated by Loke's antics as well, "Just…think about it, okay?"

She pursed her lips as she thought, "I can't be sure, but…I made a delivery near Strawberry Street yesterday. I did see a dude with some wild blond hair and a lady with dark hair in front of this really old looking house on the north corner of the street on the east side, moving some boxes out of a van that said 'Zentopia.' There was no blonde girl though. Just those two."

The salmon haired boy shifted on his feet at the detail of her memory, honestly not having expected such a quick and helpful reply from the blue haired girl. He quickly overcame his surprise and glanced at his friends, "That's gotta be them, don't you think?" He looked back to the delivery girl, giving her a nod of his head, "Thanks Juvia. You can go now."

She gave them a quick, insincere two-fingered salute before she sped off without another word, though none of the three boys were surprised by her blunt exit. She'd grown altogether less interested in their friend group after Gray had been imprisoned, and they knew that not much could be done to return to her good favor.

"Zentopia…" Loke slowly repeated after a moment of contemplation, "I don't know much about it, but…why do you think she joined a place like that?"

"I don't think she did it willingly," Natsu remarked bitterly, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back against his parked bike. Lisanna had fixed it for him that morning, though he hadn't told her the details of the crash that had caused it to break down. "She sure as hell didn't look like she was enjoying her time with them last night. She had tons of bruises and scrapes, too, so who knows what hell they've put her through."

"What should we do?" Elfman queried. "Do we go to her house right now and try to get her out?"

Natsu was silent for a moment, his tone weighted down with regret and contemplation as he spoke, "What do you guys think Gray would do?"

Loke let out a heavy sigh, his lips pressed into a grim line, "Probably go charge in there without a second thought."

The salmon haired boy nodded his head in agreement, knowing that that was exactly what Gray would've done, just like he had all those years before the events on the school rooftop.

Natsu was trying to follow his gut instincts now though, and for once, his gut was telling him that charging in there without thinking things through first wasn't a good idea. They barely knew a thing about the situation, and throwing themselves into the fray without being prepared for what they might face would likely result in more harm than good.

"Let's meet up again tomorrow," he resolved, swinging a leg over his bike and sliding his helmet over his head. "We'll figure things out then."

* * *

Ultear entered Precht's office as quietly as she could, her hands respectfully fastened together in front of herself as she politely began, "You wanted to see me, Spiritual Father?"

The preacher let out a heavy sigh as he stood from his desk at the far end of the room, his voice low as he shortened the distance between them with his hands clasped behind his back, "I heard that there was a little disturbance at the fundraiser earlier."

"Oh…yes," Ultear lowered her gaze, "A few boys around Lucy's age approached her. I believe they were her friends from high school." She placed a soft smile onto her features, "It wasn't a big deal. Nothing for you to concern yourself over."

Precht's firm expression didn't change at her reassurances, "Jude told me that it wasn't the first time. Is that true?"

Ashamed at having their slip up exposed, her gaze fell to the floor once more as she reluctantly admitted, "Yes. We had a minor collision with them in an alleyway a few nights ago. I believe that they saw Lucy in the van then."

"What did they say to her?"

"They asked her if she needed help, and told her that they would help her if she was in danger."

The corners of Precht's lips curled in disgust as he sourly remarked, "Those who need to be saved often act as though they are saviors.

Ultear tried to piece together her cheerful, unbothered persona so that the preacher would forget about the incident, "I think it's just their youthful indiscretion."

"Apostle Milkovich," Precht wasn't at all affected by her pleasantness, his features and voice still firm. "I think it's come time for you to repay the blessing you've received from the Almighty."

The dark haired apostle's grin faded, her eyes searching his in shock and confusion. Why was he bringing that up _now_ of all times?

"Starting tomorrow," Precht continued, "please prepare Lucy to become Spiritual Mother."

"Spiritual… _Mother_?" Ultear slowly repeated, her eyes wide in disbelief.

The preacher stared the woman dead in the eyes, "I need an innocent spiritual wife if I am to lead everyone on board the Ship of Salvation. Her blood shall be the blood of our atonement."

"Of course, Spiritual Father," Ultear somewhat hesitantly affirmed, her head bowing forward. "Our wishes be fulfilled."

* * *

Gray mindlessly swung his single sack of groceries in his hand as he wandered back to his home. Due to his late working hours, he'd barely managed to make it to the store before closing, and the lady at the cashier had given him nothing but dirty and annoyed looks while scanning his things. The raven haired boy hadn't paid her any mind, knowing a grumpy, middle-aged woman was the least of his concerns at the moment.

Just as he rounded the corner that entered the alley that ran along the side of his home, he caught sight of something white parked at the end of the path, his heart rate spiking as he spun back around the corner to press his back against the brick wall, his hands clenching tighter around the plastic handle of his grocery sack.

He hadn't seen that bike in years, but he'd recognize it anywhere. It was one he often used to race against, and it belonged to his former best friend.

For whatever reason, Natsu was here.

* * *

Natsu let out a heavy, regretful sigh as he rested his hand atop the front gate of the Fullbuster home, disappointment rushing through him when he'd arrived to find that the windows of the house were void of any light. That meant that either Gray wasn't home or he'd already gone to bed, and Natsu found himself leaning towards giving in to those excuses for leaving the premise without fulfilling the reason he'd come, and he was overcome with a familiar sense of self-loathing once more as he felt his feet carry him back to his bike.

Even after three years of wallowing in regret, he still couldn't do it. He was incapable of working up the courage to approach the boy he'd once called his greatest rival and best friend.

* * *

Gray clenched his jaw as he pressed himself harder against the brick wall, a thousand different emotions tugging at his brain and heart, all urging him to do different things.

Without a doubt, when it came to Natsu, there was still a lot of hate and anger towards the salmon haired boy that resided within him. It'd been building since that day Natsu had refused to help Lucy, and it'd only boiled higher from that point on.

Just as Gray worked up the courage to take a step around the corner and let fate decide which way their confrontation would go, he heard the sound of a motorcycle revving to life and speeding away.

He more or less collapsed back against the wall, his sack of groceries nearly slipping from his hand as he thought over the last time he'd seen his salmon haired friend.

 _Gray pulled his knees into his chest and wrapped his arms around them, wishing he could just sink back into the wall of the funeral home._

 _The room hadn't had a single visitor since the funeral had begun, the only other person in the room being his parole officer._

 _His blood-shot eyes were numbly focused on the casket at the far end of the room. He'd never really gotten to say a proper goodbye, nor the chance to thank his grandmother for all of things she'd done for him in her old age._

" _Gray."_

 _The raven haired boy's head numbly lulled against the wall as he looked towards the door. Elfman and Loke stood just beyond the frame, both dressed in black suits and the orange haired playboy with his hands clasped reverently in front of him and his head bowed. A suited Natsu trailed in after the other two, his salmon bangs covering his eyes as he approached with his head hung._

 _The salmon haired boy's appearance finally spurred Gray out of his numb state, his body aching as he pushed himself to his feet. As soon as he was standing, he charged towards Natsu and buried his fist in the boy's jaw without a second of hesitation._

 _Natsu stumbled back against the wall and Gray moved to follow after him, his fist raised and his features alight with fury._

" _Gray, don't!"_

 _The raven haired boy shoved Loke's hands off of his shoulder, not even noticing the orange haired boy tumbling to the floor in his wake. Elfman tackled him around the middle and drove him backwards, eventually pinning him against the far wall._

 _His patrol officer took a hesitant step forward, obviously unprepared and unknowledgeable of how to stop the situation before him, having expected the raven haired boy to be too distraught to do anything reckless._

 _Gray's feral gaze was still trained on where Loke had gone to Natsu's side, pounding on Elfman's back as the white haired boy still clenched his arms around his middle, "Let me go!"_

 _Elfman's voice was slightly muffled as he spoke from below, "We're friends, aren't we?!"_

 _The raven haired boy's voice grew louder, his legs kicking out from under him as he haughtily continued his struggle, "I said let go!"_

" _You need to be here for your grandma!" Elfman shouted, catching sight of the parole officer who stood in the corner of the room. If Gray kept this kind of behavior up, he'd be taken back to prison instantly, he had no doubt. "You can't leave her on her own!"_

 _Natsu suddenly stepped forward, not looking at all angered by what had happened as he fingered the new splotch of blood at the corner of his mouth. His voice was heavy and slightly hoarse as he spoke his first words since he'd entered the funeral room, "Elfman, that's enough…Gray's more hurt than I am."_

 _The raven haired boy's veins flooded with grievous anger. How dare Natsu pretend to know even a fraction of the pain he was going through?_

 _Natsu still kept his gaze trained on Elfman's back, not making eye contact with his rival, "Just let him do whatever he wants."_

 _Elfman's hold loosened a fraction, and Gray took advantage of the small amount of freedom, shoving himself out of his friend's grasp entirely, his eyes burning with furious tears._

" _I know you don't want to see me," the salmon haired boy swallowed, his gaze on the floor. "But…please tolerate it just this once."_

" _Do you know how she died?" Gray choked out after a moment silence, his hands clenched into fists._

 _Natsu finally gathered the courage to lift his gaze, and he decided that he would've rather been punched again than have to see the raw hurt and agony in his best friend's features._

" _She wanted to bail me out," the raven haired boy faltered, his voice uneven and his words slurring together. "So she tried to go back to work. She went out at dawn to collect cardboard boxes from waste bins, and she died in a hit-and-run accident." He began to take slow steps toward the salmon haired boy, "It's all your fault. Just because you wanted to make sure that your stuck-up brother got elected as governor again you…you ruined my life and killed my grandma." Unrestrained fury broke out across his features and in his voice, "You killed us both!" His fist found purchase in Natsu's jaw once more, and the salmon haired boy simply took the punch, not even trying to stop himself from stumbling backwards._

 _Loke flew forward this time to tackle the raven haired boy, his glasses flying from his face as Gray struggled against his hold._

" _Let go!" Gray clenched his hand in the flesh of Loke's right shoulder and shoved himself away from the other boy, his other hand clenched into a fist and poised to punch. His arm froze, his fist still pulled back by his ear, when he caught sight of Loke's expression, the orange haired playboy close to tears. In their nearly thirteen years of friendship, Gray had never seen Loke cry._

 _The orange haired boy was doing nothing to save himself from Gray's oncoming blow, simply standing there with acceptance written across his features, completely ready to take the hit. "What happened to us?" he bitterly huffed out, nearly out of breath. "How the hell did we end up like this?"_

 _Gray's hand slowly fell back to his side as he used his grip on Loke's shoulder to shove the boy backwards and away from him. He glanced at where Natsu was still pressed against the wall with his head hung, the salmon haired boy having not bothered with recovering after the second punch Gray had landed in his jaw. Gray could tell from the unnatural and sporadic heaving of his shoulders that the salmon haired boy was crying._

 _He turned to face his grandmother's casket, slowly lowering himself to his knees in front of it as he let his head fall forward, his voice cold as he ground out, "Get out."_

 _He heard no movement behind him, so he screamed, "Get out!"_

That was the last time he'd seen Natsu. The last time he'd seen any of them, actually. And he didn't know if he could ever work up the courage to see any of them again. Natsu aside, Laxus had come to his home earlier, awkwardly asking him to stay away from Loke for the sake of ridding the orange haired boy of a potential bad influence. Gray had figured that despite Mira's kindheartedness, she probably wanted similar for Elfman.

Despite his weary body, Gray didn't want to go home anymore. With the memory of his grandmother's funeral now fresh in his mind, he knew it'd be hard for him to think of anything but her as he sat between the walls of the home they'd once shared.

So instead he mindlessly dropped the sack of groceries over the gate, resolving to put them away later, and wandered Magnolia's streets, his feet naturally guiding him to a place that held memories of happier times.

* * *

"'With the sacrifice of precious blood, you shall attain salvation.'"

Lucy numbly watched on as her mother drug a trembling finger over the line of scripture, mumbling the same phrase to herself over and over.

"Mom," the blonde breathed softly, her throat tight with sorrow over her mother's disillusions. "There's no salvation to be found here."

There was a slight pause in Layla's mutterings as her daughter spoke, but she was quickly resuming, "'With the sacrifice of precious blood, you shall attain salvation.' 'With the sacrifice of precious blood, you shall-'"

Lucy couldn't take it anymore. She quickly stole the book of Zentopia scripture from her mother's hands, tearing the thin pages of scripture from their bindings as she snapped, "This is all lies, mom!"

Her mother shrieked, trying to tear the book back from her, "No, Lucy!"

"It will only encage us and bring us ruin!" The blonde continued to shred the pages, uncaring as they fluttered to the floor, "Mom, please don't do this anymore!"

Layla finally yanked the book from her daughter's grasp, not an ounce of sanity and lucidness in her wide, blood-shot eyes as she protectively hugged it to her chest with both arms and chastised, "Lucy, don't you know how valuable this is?! We can't live with Sting in paradise without it!" Her gaze traveled to Lucy's left side, focusing on the space just behind her daughter, a warm smile emerging on her features as she lightly questioned, "Isn't that right, Sting?"

Lucy could only watch on as her mother spiraled even further away from reality. Any attempt she'd made at getting through to the woman was lost on deaf ears, and more often than not spawned a violent reaction.

Layla suddenly giggled to herself in happiness, "Did you see that, Lucy? Sting's disability disappeared after we came here. This place really is paradise."

The blonde girl swallowed heavily, mumbling to herself since she knew her mother wouldn't listen, "But now…I'm the one who's in pain."

"Sting…" her mother's voice suddenly sounded upset, a heavy contrast to her previously joyful tone, "…why are you saying that?" She blankly looked back to her daughter, "Lucy, trying talking to your brother. He keeps saying strange things."

The girl swallowed to ease the tightness in her throat, too drained to tell her mother that she was hallucinating, "What is he saying, mom?"

"He keeps saying that it's wrong. He says we shouldn't stay here."

Lucy's eyes widened a fraction, but before she could say anything more, the door to the hospital room was shoved open.

Jude didn't offer his wife any form of greeting as he came to stand beside his daughter, resting a hand on her shoulder, "Lucy, Spiritual Father would like to see you."

* * *

Natsu hadn't known where to go after his unsuccessful visit to the Fullbuster home, once more feeling restless and altogether incapable of getting a solid night of sleep after the day he'd had. After encountering Lucy again, he couldn't get himself to calm down and think things through clearly, and the uncertainty of the whole situation with Gray had only increased his anxiety.

He'd somehow wound up outside of Magnolia's bull fighting stadium, a place where he and his friends had once gathered on the weekends to place bets against each other.

That weekly tradition ended when Gray had been taken away.

As he stood in the large plaza before the stadium, his hands tucked into his pockets, he recalled all of the times he'd spent there, and once more grieved over his loss of them.

It was horribly profound how nearly thirteen years of friendship could change so dramatically in the span of only a few days.

The salmon haired boy's already uneasy frame tensed when he heard light footfalls echo from somewhere else in the plaza, and his chest involuntarily tightened when he caught sight of the other person walking on the very edge of the large, open space, their head down and their unbothered aura letting him know that they hadn't noticed him standing there yet in the dark night.

Even if he hadn't seen it in three years, he'd recognize that mop of raven hair anywhere.

* * *

Lucy made sure to keep her back impeccably straight as she took a seat beside her father and across from Zancrow and Ultear on the couches in Precht's office. The blonde wanted to make sure that the preacher, who sat in his own chair perpendicular to the couches, didn't think she was intimidated by him like some of the other members of Zentopia might be, her gaze steadfastly and unflinchingly connected with his.

Her lack of deference for him seemed to only make him more intrigued with her. He offered her the smallest hint of a grin as he began with her name, taking his time with admiring the syllables like they were the sweetest things in the entire world, "Lucy. Do you know what the Nine Fruits of the Almighty are?"

Without missing a beat, Lucy firmly responded, "Love, patience, diligence, joy, peace, goodness, gentleness, fidelity, and moderation." The three years she'd spent at the church weren't for nothing, and even though she'd loathed every second of it, she'd nonetheless paid attention to the teachings she'd been forced to attend, her mind fruitlessly trying to figure out why the religion attracted and enraptured her father like it had. "'You can only free yourself from the agony and pain of this evil world when you lead a life that bears all nine fruits.' Is that what you were going to say?"

He chuckled to himself, "You remember it well. However, you shouldn't show your faith with your head, but with your actions instead."

"Faith isn't something you can impose on others," Lucy solidly avowed.

Precht wasn't at all thrown off by her attitude, "Do you remember the state you were in when you first came here?"

The blonde reluctantly recalled the first time she'd been in this office, seated next to Sting and across from her parents. Despite how hard their life had seemed to be back then, she would give anything to go back. That way, her twin would still be at her side, and her parents would be there for her, too, despite the flaws that they'd had even back then.

"In my eyes," Precht hummed as he reminisced, "you were a young lamb with a scar across her heart. You felt guilty because you blamed yourself for your brother's disability."

Lucy wanted to hate him and snap at him for thinking that he knew everything about how she felt, but her voice died in her throat when she realized that he was right. She _had_ blamed herself for what had happened to Sting and her friends, and she still did. In fact, it'd never really stopped haunting her thoughts, and now, what had happened to Romeo was a part of that list, the list of things she could've prevented but didn't.

"Our Almighty has told us that we should never ignore our neighbor's pain," Precht continued, uncaring of the deep look of regret that he'd brought to the blonde's features. "So as a shepherd, how could I disregard you?"

Ultear and Jude both bowed their heads forward in deference, their voices nearly in unison as they professed, "Our wishes be fulfilled."

"You're no shepherd," Lucy forced out through her tight throat. "You're just a sick, twisted man."

Jude's focus whipped to his daughter, his voice charged, "How dare you say such a foul thing?"

Precht quirked a brow, staring at the blonde but speaking of her as if she wasn't there, "Therefore, I believe we should save our dear Lucy before it gets too late."

Her eyes widened in confusion as a surge of fear rushed through her. What the hell was he talking about?

"Finally," Zancrow chuckled in anticipation. "Lucy's going to become Spiritual Mother." He slid his gaze to the blonde, a malicious grin spreading across his lips, "Congratulations."

"Being chosen as Spiritual Mother is the greatest blessing you can receive in Zentopia," Ultear professed happily, her eyes alight with joy.

Jude bowed his head forward, clasping his hands in prayerful gratitude as he breathed out, "Thank you."

The blonde sat silently, horrified by the prospect. If Precht was referred to as Spiritual Father, she could only imagine what becoming Spiritual Mother would entail, what horrid connect it would give the preacher to her.

She shot to her feet in protest, her thoughts becoming fuzzy the longer her fear festered, "You're all insane!" Her gaze snapped to her father, "Do you really not understand what this means?!"

Jude stood, approaching her with his arms outstretched in an attempt to calm his daughter down, "Lucy-"

"Don't come any closer!" The blonde screeched, her back soon pressed against one of the display cabinets in the room. As her fingers pressed against the cool glass, a crazy idea came to mind, and without a clear head, it was only the thing she could think of doing. She shoved her elbow backwards as hard as she could, numb to the pain as hundreds of glass shards rained down on her form from behind. She ducked and scrambled for one of the largest jagged pieces, blood soon pouring down her forearm from her palm as she clutched at it, pointing it at her father and daring him to come closer.

"Lucy, stop!" Jude's eyes widened in shock, the slightest traces of fear in his features. "Put that down!"

Ultear and Zancrow were now on their feet, too, but Precht still remained quietly seated, not an ounce of panic or surprise in his expression as he watched on.

The blond apostle slowly began to approach the girl.

At his advancement, Lucy's tactic changed, knowing she couldn't take on both her father and Zancrow if they came at her simultaneously. Without an ounce of fear on her face, she pressed the shard against her own throat, her voice steady as she breathed out, "If you're going to make me do as you planned, I'm going to kill myself right now."

Ultear watched on with wide eyes, the blonde's words causing a memory that had haunted her conscience for years to resurface. The image of a girl's body floating back-up in a river appeared vividly in her mind, the girl still in her school uniform and her pink hair horribly tangled and floating lifelessly.

Recalling the memory brought all of the emotions she'd felt upon finding the Meredy's body rushing back, tears gathering in her eyes and her voice full of panic as she screeched, "No, Lucy! You won't be able to gain salvation!"

"'Salvation?'" the blonde incredulously breathed out as she looked at the group around her, "What do you even think that is?" Her voice grew louder and more hysteric, "In the end, all you're really saying is that you're perfectly fine with handing my body over to him!"

"The plans of our Almighty," Ultear began softly, her steps slowly easing her towards the girl, "are sometimes hard for us mortals to understand. But I know for sure that through our devoted faith and belief, our Almighty is trying to save us by giving us immortality."

Precht finally stood, and once more, Lucy whipped the shard outwards, pointing at the preacher as he came to stand directly in front of her, a thin line of blood trailing down her neck from where the shard had shallowly pierced her skin. Her hand trembled as blood continued to stream down her forearm, too, but she was numb to the pain.

"I'm not asking you to come to me to fulfill my worldly desires," Precht steadily surmised. "I only wish to show our Almighty your faith and devotion towards him through your union with me. Do you still not yet realize how much our Almighty and I care for you?" He caught her wrist as she swung the shard at his face, his features darkening, "Are you really so unafraid of death that you would put your own life on the line?"

Lucy wasn't afraid. She'd seen enough death to have overcome her fear of it.

"You always talk about salvation and eternal life," she ground out. " _You're_ the one who's afraid of death."

The door to the room creaked as it was suddenly pushed open, and the blonde's eyes widened as her mother was lightly shoved into the room, Kain standing in the door frame behind the woman.

Precht's grip on her wrist tightened as he whispered scripture to the blonde, "'If you believe in my words and abide by them, you shall be allowed aboard the Ship of Salvation. However, if you do not believe in my words, and refuse to abide by them,'" He gave Lucy one last hard look before his gaze slid to Layla, resuming his recitation of holy scripture, "'I shall take away from you that one thing which you cherish the most.'"

Lucy's hand slowly fell back to her side, the shard slipping from her grasp and clattering to the floor. She couldn't do it. Not while her mother was watching.

Zancrow smirked, "My, Lucy is such a devoted daughter."

Jude rushed to grab his wife's hand, grinning proudly as if his daughter hadn't just tried to take her life right before him, "Of course. Our daughter has never once disappointed us."

"You've begun to overcome the devil within yourself, Lucy," Ultear smiled warmly as she lightly grasped the blonde's wrist, examining the bloodied cut on her palm. "I'm sure our Almighty will enlighten you one day."

Lucy stared numbly at Precht, who was still standing directly in front of her. A few stray tears slipped free of the blonde's eyes and slowly made their descent down her cheeks, the preacher smiling in victorious satisfaction as he ran his gaze over her face as if examining a fine prize.

* * *

"Gray!" the boy's name slipped through Natsu's lips before he could stop himself, and almost as if on instinct, his legs were hurriedly carrying him towards his former friend, his shoes clacking against the pavement and his footfalls echoing around the empty plaza.

The raven haired boy paused for a moment, his shoulders tensing before he started walking forward once more, though with more conviction this time.

Natsu knew that Gray could easily recognize his voice, and his rival's lack of response sent anger rushing through his veins.

Didn't Gray feel the same way he did? Didn't he want to at least try to fix things? Or was the raven haired boy completely content with letting their nearly thirteen years of friendship crumble to ruin without even attempting to salvage what had once been?

Natsu, for one, was entirely unwilling to settle for the latter, and so he shot forward, grabbing onto the raven haired boy's shoulder as he called, "Gray!"

The raven haired boy whipped around, roughly shoving Natsu's hand off of him as he ground out through clenched teeth, "Say my name one more time and I'll kill you."

The utter look of hatred on his rival's face was something he'd been unprepared for, though Natsu knew he fully deserved it. He reached out once more, a short breath puffing through his lips as he started once more, "Gray-"

Gray's fist made impact with his jaw before he could do so much as flinch out of the way, the boy hissing, "I told you not to say my name."

The salmon haired boy swiped the back of his hand over the bloodied corner of his lip, a mixture of acceptance and conviction in his gaze as he glared at his rival, "Fine. Go ahead and hit me. If it'll make you feel better, just do it."

Gray took the invitation without a second of hesitation, a wordless battle cry flying through his lips as he ran to close the distance he'd created between them with his first punch and buried his fist in the salmon haired boy's jaw again, harder than before.

Natsu's body twisted and he fell onto his hands and knees, spitting the blood from his mouth before pushing himself back up to his feet as he gave his rival a daring look, "That all you got?"

He dodged Gray's fists the next time it flew at him, ducking under his arm and upper-cutting the raven haired boy in the chin. It was Gray's turn to stumble backwards, clutching at his jaw.

He didn't have a second to recover, Natsu punching him again as the salmon haired boy taunted, "Is that really the best you can do, you bastard?! If this fight is what you really want, then I'm not holding back!"

The next time Natsu advanced, Gray shoved him away with a foot to the chest, the force of the kick sending both of the boys stumbling backwards and falling onto the concrete beneath them.

Natsu groaned as he curled in on himself, eventually mustering up the strength to push himself onto his hands and knees, huffing out heavy breaths. He'd only been punched a few times, but he supposed the emotion that was driving their fight made it more exhausting than any of their fights had ever been before. All of their previous brawls had been fought over petty occurrences, their impetus something baseless and foolish. This fight, however, had a weight to it that they'd never been subject to before. This one actually _meant_ something for once, and to a degree, that fact _terrified_ Natsu. These next few moments decided what would become of their friendship, and given how Gray was acting, they weren't heading in the direction that Natsu wanted them to.

"I told you not to show up in front of me ever again," Gray ground out as he painstakingly sat up, his voice slightly choked, though the salmon haired boy couldn't tell if it was from his anger or his obvious sorrow. "So why…" His head fell forward, his voice rising in volume as he roared, "why do you keep showing up like this?!"

"Because we're friends!" Natsu snapped back without a moment of hesitation.

Gray slowly lifted his head, his expression blank as he looked to the salmon haired boy.

"You fucking idiot, Gray Fullbuster," Natsu slowly brought his focus up, too, connecting their gazes, "You're my _best_ friend. That's why."

The raven haired boy's head fell forward once more, a moment of silence passing before he hissed, "Don't come looking for me ever again."

"Why not?" Natsu questioned simply, unwilling to give up so easily. He'd waited three years for the chance to get his best friend back, and even if Gray refused him every time he came, he wouldn't stop.

"I can't stand looking at your face," the raven haired boy huffed out as he slowly pushed himself to his feet, turning his back without another word and beginning to wander away.

In a last ditch effort at getting Gray to listen to him, Natsu spoke of his other prominent concern, knowing without a doubt that it would catch the raven haired boy's interest, "I saw Lucy."

And sure enough, Gray froze in his steps.

"I think she's in danger," the salmon haired boy continued as he stood.

Gray spun back around, his eyes still cold, but his irises undeniably alight with a spark of interest.

"I saw her by chance after three years of hearing nothing about her," he huffed out, swallowing heavily as he looked to his rival, his voice heavy, "She asked me to save her."

Gray shifted on his feet, and from the far-off, untrusting look in the raven haired boy's gaze, Natsu could tell that his rival was thinking back to the last time the blonde had asked them for help, and of course, Natsu's refusal of her plea.

"This time," Natsu started firmly, his features hardened in determination as he reassured his friend, "I won't run away. I know that I hurt both of you in the past."

The raven haired boy charged towards him once more, his hands fisting in Natsu's collar with angry tears in his eyes, his lips pulled back in an angry snarl as he cocked his fist to punch the other boy once more. But at the last second, he froze.

"I won't run away this time," Natsu repeated, his gaze unflinchingly connected with his rival's. "I want to save her before its too late."

Gray's fist slowly fell back to his side at the genuine conviction in the salmon haired boy's gaze. He could tell without a doubt that Natsu meant it this time.

"So...will you help me?"

* * *

Lucy glanced over her shoulder as she sat in a stool near her mother's bed, her gaze momentarily focusing on the red cross atop the church's steeple. The hospital rested on higher ground, its elevated position allowing the blonde to see the way the cross' eerie red light bathed the treetops and made them appear as if they were on fire.

She swallowed heavily as she tore her focus away, her fingers fiddling with the new bandages on her right hand as she looked back to her sleeping mother, quietly promising, "I won't run away anymore, mom. I'll save you from this place myself. I'll save us both. I'm sure that's what Sting wants me to do."

* * *

 **AN**

 **Whew...this chapter got up to 12,000 words. That's definitely the longest thus far.**

 **Hope you're not too upset that Natsu didn't save Lucy right away. We do have quite a few more chapters after all, so obviously she wasn't gonna get out of there so soon. But still** **, lots happened this chapter, so I hope it was exciting nonethless. Gajeel's here now, plus we got a smidgen of Nalu, and a Gratsu reunion. Additionally, the mention of Meredy will be further explained later (she's a big part of Ultear's past).**

 **In the next chapter we'll get a good Nalu moment :D Plus, another new character will enter the story, one that will be slightly more important to the plot than Gajeel. After that character is introduced in the next chapter, we'll really only have one more character that'll be coming in and playing a somewhat important role, and they'll show up in chapter 11. Not to spoil anything, but *cough cough* I did say we'd be getting some Jerza after all *cough cough* ;)**

 **As always, thanks for reading and a special thank you to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed! I've loved hearing your thoughts and it always makes me happy to see that people are enjoying my writing!**

 **See you next Friday!**


	10. Chapter 10: Sincerely

**Chapter 10**

 **Sincerely**

Lucy froze as soon as she entered her mother's hospital room. The bed was empty, the white sheets still rumpled and unmade.

The blonde didn't like not knowing where her mother was, not while they were stuck in this godforsaken church that housed a horrid collection of people who would never earn her trust no matter how much they tried. Her mother's current state of being was another cause for concern too, and the thought that she'd wandered off on her own terrified the girl.

She shot back out of the door, already preparing herself for a worrisome and disconcerting search for her mother through the maze that was the many hallways of Zentopia's numerous buildings.

Just after brushing through the doorframe, she nearly collided with a cart of medical supplies that was being pushed by a short girl that looked to be around her age, the girl's wild, sapphire blue hair held back by an orange headband. The blunette greeted Lucy with a small, warm smile, though it quickly faded when she saw the panic on the blonde's features.

Lucy quickly gestured with her head towards the door behind her, her panic making her sound nearly out of breath as she questioned, "Have you seen the patient that's staying in this room?"

"Mrs. Heartfilia?" the girl's eyes quickly shifted to the name plaque just beside the door frame before looking back to the blonde, "She told the nurses that she wanted to go and pray."

Lucy's chest immediately felt stuffy. Her mother had most likely been taken to the private prayer rooms, which were the one place the blonde hadn't dared to venture to after moving to Zentopia. It was at the entrance to the hallway where the rooms rested that Zancrow had run his hands across her skin, and the possibility of what she might on the other side of those doors had terrified her enough for her to keep her distance.

However, despite her fear over what may lay on the other side, her mother was there now, and her fear for her mother was greater than any of her other concerns at the moment.

"I see," the blonde whipped around to start towards the front of the hospital, throwing a short, somewhat insincere favor over her shoulder, "Thanks."

"Wait!" the girl called out.

Lucy turned back to find the girl staring at her bashfully, something akin to admiration on her features.

"There's a rumor going around about how you're going to become Spiritual Mother. Is it true?"

The blonde's features darkened at the reminder of her fate, and she didn't care if she sounded rude as she spat, "Do you even know what that means?"

"She's the mother of all spirits, isn't she?" the blunette responded somewhat dreamily, the adoration in her tone somehow _too much_ and _wrong._

Lucy couldn't put her thoughts into exact words, but there was just something _off_ about the girl. Not in the mental sense or the creepy sense, but in the sense that she just didn't seem to resemble the other members of Zentopia at all. She was young and obviously full of vibrancy and curiosity, and the intellect shining unmasked and unbidden in her irises set her apart as someone who would never let herself be lured in by Zentopia's enticing promises of salvation and eternal life.

"Why did you come here?" she suddenly questioned the blunette, prying for more information.

"Because I want to be saved and board the Ship of Salvation, of course."

That answer was too textbook and simple to be sincere in Lucy's eyes. Any other member of the church would've gone on for hours about their reasons, because each person had a story of struggle and tribulation, their regrets leading them to seek salvation and redemption. Every person in the church, including her father, was a perfect example of the weaknesses of human nature; of how when faced with adversity, it was inherent for most people to seek the easiest and most appealing way out of their hardships.

The blonde squared her shoulders as she faced the girl fully, leaving no room for argument, "Leave while you still can."

The blunette's sweet grin faltered, "What?"

"I'm telling you to run away from this place. If you stay here, both your mind and body will die."

Having said what she wanted, Lucy turned once more to begin her search for her mother, but the girl called out to her again.

"Then why aren't _you_ leaving?"

Lucy froze up for a moment. Upon being told to leave their religion, wouldn't any faithful member hurry to defend and profess their testimony of their beliefs? The girl's question had definitely been unexpected, and it was the first time anybody had taken interest in the blonde in such a way. Normally, as soon as she so much as mentioned her wishes to depart from this place, her listeners would scoff and shove her desires aside, absolutely appalled by the idea of leaving the religion that had brought them such comfort behind.

But it seemed that this girl genuinely wanted to know, and the tone with which she'd asked her question gave off the impression that she wasn't going to let the blonde leave until she received her answer.

Lucy turned back to the girl to give her an inquisitive look, intending to find out exactly who she was, because she obviously wasn't a regular Zentopia believer.

Two older women suddenly rounded the corner behind the blunette, and as they began giving the girl orders to go help other patients, Lucy knew that they'd lost their chance at speaking openly and honestly with one another.

She gave the girl one last hard, critical look over before departing to find her mother, knowing that she'd have to find the bluenette later to talk one-on-one.

* * *

"No way," Juvia crossed her arms under her breasts as she leaned back against her pizza delivery vehicle, a boiling glare on her features as she suspiciously shifted her eyes between the three boys before her. "This car isn't just something I can lend to others. It's my livelihood."

"Come on, Juvia," Loke rested an elbow atop said car, leaning against it as he drizzled all of his characteristic charm into his smirk and voice in attempt to sway the blue haired girl, "We're friends, aren't we? Don't be so petty."

"We're not even that close," Juvia stated unflinchingly with a dead-pan expression, not at all moved by his charm. After all, her heart already belonged to another, and thus she was immune to Loke's suave appeal.

The orange haired playboy haughtily shoved himself away from the car, incredulously waving his arms about in the air in front of him, gesturing to himself, Natsu, and Elfman, "We order from you, like, every other day! Is this really how you're going to treat your VIP customers?"

The girl wasn't at all swayed, one of her thin eyebrows still quirked indifferently.

Natsu let out his own exasperated sigh at Loke's antics, purposefully loud enough for Juvia to overhear as he grumbled to himself, "I knew I should've invited Gray instead of you morons." He hadn't seen nor heard a word from the raven haired boy since their fight in the plaza of the bull fighting stadium, his rival simply storming away without another word after Natsu had asked for aid in saving Lucy. The salmon haired boy was well aware of the fact that he was far from having received his former best friend's forgiveness, but mentioning Gray's possible involvement in their scheme was probably the only way they'd get Juvia to concede and lend them her car.

Besides, Natsu didn't really feel too bad about manipulating the girl in that way, because he knew that his rival would come through and join their cause eventually. That was just the type of person Gray was.

"Gray?" Juvia excitedly repeated, her interest finally piqued and her eyes wide. She let out a little cough when she noticed how her outburst had startled all three boys, settling back against the car and trying to mask her sudden shift in favor by crossing her arms back under her breasts and pursing her lips, "Well…what are exactly are planning on doing with it if I do lend it to you?"

Natsu tucked his hands in his pockets, praying she didn't think he was insane as he quietly started, "We need a way to hide someone and made a quick get-away."

Her eyes widened, her gaze shifting warily between the three, "You're…you're not trying to kidnap someone, are you?"

"'Saving someone' would be the more appropriate term," the salmon haired boy supplied. "We figured our bikes probably wouldn't be the best mode of transport for such a thing."

She gave the three an incredulous look, as if she still didn't believe them, but she soon let out a heavy sigh, quickly swiping her tongue across her lips, "How will I deliver food then?"

Loke gave her a smug grin before he turned over his shoulder, sweeping his arm out in a grand gesture towards his modified electric scooter, a metal crate the perfect size for pizza's strapped onto the back of the seat with bungee cords.

* * *

Lucy nearly tripped over her own feet as she rushed down the stairs to the basement of the church, her hands coming up to brace herself on the concrete walls on either side of the staircase as she stumbled to a stop halfway down the steps upon the seeing the door that led the private prayer rooms.

Again, she was reminded of what Zancrow had done, how he'd pinned her against that door during one of her first visits to Zentopia, running his hand through her hair and across the skin of her neck and cheek. She hadn't been able to muster the courage to come back and investigate since then, too fearful of what she might find on the other side of those doors.

But now her mother was beyond them, and if the screams and cries that had issued forth from beyond the doorway the last time the blonde had been down here were anything to go by, then her mother needed her help.

Lucy slowly descended the last few steps and wrapped her fingers around the knob, a surge of resolve and conviction rushing through her as she twisted her wrist and pushed the door open.

The hallway that rested on the other side glowed an eerie bluish green, the dim, fluorescent lights on the ceiling flickering at random intervals and further adding to the unsettling aura of the space. Wooden doors littered both of the white walls, each leading to a private prayer room.

The blonde glanced through the glass windows on each door as she passed in case her mother rested on the other side, but instead she was greeted by sights that only fed her panic and terror.

The prayer rooms lacked even more light than the hallway did, some lit only by candlelight while some glowed red in the light of miniature versions of the same cross that sat atop the church's steeple. There was hardly a room that was silent, some of the individual occupants kneeled down and hunched forward in regretful prayer, some mumbling while others shrieked out their repentance aloud to the Almighty. The worst part of it all was the way their bodies contorted, a few even banging their bodies and heads against the walls or floor as they cried for forgiveness.

What scared the blonde more was the rooms she passed where there was no movement, the bodies of those inside lying motionless on the floor, sprawled out in unnatural positions.

With each room she passed, the more potent her fear swelled. Her heart hammered in her chest as she saw them: a man pounding his head against the table where his open scriptures rested, a woman spasming on the floor as she mumbled incoherently with wide, unseeing eyes, and another man lying limp, his body pale beyond possibility and coated in a thick sheen of sweat. Every room she peered into held a similar sight.

None of the rooms contained her mother, though she didn't know if that fact should've made her feel relief or worry. This hallway was a horrid place to witness, but if her mother wasn't here, then the blonde didn't know where she might be.

Her feet slowly carried her to her last hope: the very last room at the left end of the hallway.

Just as she was about to peek through the window, the door flew open, the blonde stumbling back a few steps as Zancrow emerged.

His eyes momentarily widened only a fraction at her presence before his lips settled into his characteristic, maniacal smirk.

Lucy's fear spiked at his sudden appearance, but she was still level-headed enough to remember the reason she'd come to the private prayer rooms in the first place. She leaned to look past the man in the doorway and scanned the room behind him. Her mother was there, kneeling on the floor with a book of Zentopia scripture opened in her lap.

"Mom," the blonde girl called softly.

Layla tiredly lifted her focus, her pale features lighting up a small fraction as she gazed at her daughter, remarking happily to herself, "Lucy's here."

Lucy's heated glare snapped to the blond man still standing in the doorway, cutting her off from her mother, "If you so much as laid a finger on my mom, I'll kill you."

"That's quite the scary look you've got," he chuckled as he leaned towards her.

Lucy took a small step backwards but put every ounce of effort she had left into keeping her features free of even an ounce of fear. She'd resolved to show everyone in Zentopia that they wouldn't break her, no matter what she had to endure to do it.

She felt his breath puff against her ear as he lowly whispered, "I'll just have to make sure to kill you first, then." His hand was on her cheek before she could even process that he'd lifted his arm from his side, and his face remained only inches from her own, just like it had been when he'd pinned against the door three years ago.

Lucy's hands clenched into fists at her sides, not wanting to risk making what was happening worse by trying to fight against him, because Zancrow was quick to resort to violent actions when angered. She still fought to keep her fear from gaining control as she glared at him and ground out, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Such vile words from such a pretty mouth," Zancrow lightly stroked his right thumb across her cheek as he hummed, "Three years have passed, and your skin is still very, very soft." A disappointed sigh suddenly rushed through his lips as he huffed, "It's a shame that you've been chosen as Spiritual Father's new bride. That means I have to keep you pure." He turned over his shoulder, a wicked grin on his features, "Isn't that right, Mrs. Heartfilia?"

"Yes," Layla mumbled, obviously completely oblivious and incapable of processing what the man was doing to her daughter only a few feet away, "Please take good care of Lucy and Sting both."

The blond apostle chuckled mockingly as he turned back to the blonde, stroking his fingers through her hair one last time and tucking a stray strand behind her ear as he chided, "Have a good time with your mother."

He stalked away without another word, whistling to himself all the way down the hallway and out the door, his hands clasped leisurely behind himself as he strolled, immune to the cries issuing from the doors that surrounded him.

Lucy took a moment to calm her racing heart before she entered the room and kneeled before her mother, her head falling forward as she thought over things.

She'd resolved to stand strong against all of Zentopia's fronts, but in all honesty, she didn't know how much more she could endure. It was an incredibly daunting task to face so many people who were much stronger than her all on her own, and every day she grew more worried that all of her protests would eventually be for naught.

A light palm came to rest on her cheek, one that was much more loving than the last hand that had rested there.

Lucy guessed that her fear must've shown through, her mother lightly soothing, "What's wrong, sweetie? Are you feeling sick?"

The blonde girl felt like she might burst into tears at the question. For a moment, it was like her mother was normal again. But the moment was shattered and reality came crashing back as soon as she lifted her gaze and caught sight of her mother's eyes blankly staring back.

She swallowed back her tears, forcing a soft smile onto her face, "I'll get you out of here, mom. I promise. You said that Sting doesn't want us to stay here, right? I don't want to stay here either. So we'll leave this place together."

Layla hummed softly, running her thumb beneath her daughter's eye to wipe away a lone tear, "If that's what my twins want, then I guess I should go."

Lucy nodded, "Let's get you back to your room for now, okay?"

She gripped both of her mother's forearms to help her stand, wrapping an arm around the woman's shoulder to keep her close as they entered the hallway and passed the prayer rooms, all of which had gone eerily silent.

As her daughter safeguarded her down the hall and towards the door that led to the stairs, Layla glanced back over her shoulder, her eyes fastening on her son, who stood at the end of the hallway, back by the prayer room she'd just been in.

He gave her a gentle smile, a soft nod of his head.

* * *

As the front gate let out a loud screech, Natsu pressed his frame harder against the stucco of the back of the house, the sudden fear of being caught surging through him and slowly fading as he heard their front door open and close.

It hadn't been hard to jump the wall that surrounded the home, and he'd been waiting in the dark night for nearly an hour by now.

But at last, his wait was over, because the Heartfilias were finally home.

* * *

Lucy quietly stepped into her room, playing with the bandages on her right hand as she did so. She couldn't stop thinking about Zancrow's fingers tracing across her skin. But even more so, she was haunted by the fact that even after three years, she was still incapable of standing up for herself, and she'd been just as useless against the blond apostle as she had been all those years ago when he'd pinned her against that door.

She could feel her father's presence in her room with her still, so she slowly turned to face him, sensing that he had something he wanted to say. Normally, he would've just slammed the door after her and locked her in for the night, but he was still here, standing in the doorframe and giving her an earnest, forthright smile.

"The devil may try to tempt you more now that you've been chosen as Spiritual Mother. You need to focus on praying more so that you can remain pure."

* * *

Natsu's brows furrowed as he overheard their conversation from his crouched position near the blonde's window, repeating in his head, ' _Spiritual Mother?'_

* * *

Jude turned to leave, but Lucy refused to let him go, numbly calling, "Do you really not understand what they're trying to do to me?"

Her father turned back to face her, his blank face letting her know he hadn't the slightest clue as to what she was getting at.

"You're practically selling me off to them!" Lucy shouted, her frustration growing at his obliviousness to the reality of the situation. "He's a man old enough to be my grandfather! Does the thought of him with me not disgust you?!"

Jude dismissed his daughter's words without a second thought, deeming them foolish, "Just like Spiritual Father, I'm never going to give up on you. You should be honored to have been blessed with such a sacred and important calling."

"Dad!" she shrieked in protest.

Her only answer was the slamming of her bedroom door behind him, the sound of a lock clicking into place following only a few seconds later.

* * *

Natsu couldn't stop himself from flinching at Lucy's unanswered cry for her father. The salmon haired boy hadn't clearly understood the situation that caused their fight, but the blonde's words were enough to give him at least somewhat of an idea, and the implications of what had been said had sent a strange combination of unsettling chills and pulsing red anger through his veins.

He forced his own feelings aside though and tucked the blonde's words into his thoughts for later examination, knowing that it would be best if he did what he came to do and got the hell out of there before he was caught.

He ducked beneath the window, slowly peeking over the sill to be absolutely sure that Lucy was completely alone in her room now. She was, just like he thought she'd be, her gaze still numbly trained on the door that her father had slammed on her only a few moments ago.

Natsu swallowed heavily, quietly lifting his fist and gently knocking on the metal bars that ran over the outside of her window.

Her focus dazedly shifted his way as if she thought the noise had been nothing of import, her eyes widening when she caught sight of him standing there, only his shoulders-up visible to her through the window frame.

He hurriedly pressed a finger to his lips, not because he thought she might scream, but because she looked like she was about ready to reprimand him for being there.

She anxiously shook her head before casting a worried glance at the door, almost as if she was giving him a warning, telling him that he shouldn't have come.

Natsu ignored her concerns and pulled his phone out of his pocket, opening his memo app and typing a message before holding the screen up for the blonde to see.

' _Do you remember me?'_

Lucy tentatively came closer to the glass, staring at his face for a long moment before turning her focus to his question. She returned her gaze to his for a brief second before hurriedly pacing to her desk, swiping a purple pen from its surface and coming to stand in front of the window again. She wrote on her left hand, staring him directly in the eyes once more as she twisted her wrist around, pressing her palm against the glass.

' _Natsu Dragneel.'_

A rush of relief shot through the salmon haired boy when he saw his name inked in purple pen, though he hadn't expected otherwise. He knew that just like he hadn't been able to forget her due to the haunting memories they shared, she probably wouldn't have forgotten him, even though he was sure she must've wanted to after what he'd done.

He erased the previous message on his phone, glancing at the bars that stood between them before typing again and holding it up once more, ' _Are you locked up right now?'_

Her gaze fell to the floor after it'd skimmed across his screen, and he could see her trying to hold back tears as she gave a quick, single nod of her head.

The salmon haired boy's heart lurched involuntarily at the utter heartbreak and helplessness on her features. The situation was finally becoming clearer to him, and since her father was obviously the one who had imprisoned her in her own room, Natsu knew that the Heartfilia patriarch must be deeply involved in whatever was putting the blonde in danger.

He felt that he could relate to her, his mind momentarily straying from the present and filling with thoughts of Zeref. He knew exactly what it felt like to be betrayed by a family member that had once been held dear, and the heavy feelings of abandonment and solitude were something he'd never wish on anyone.

Natsu forced his anger over what both his own brother and her father had done aside, solemnly nodding his head in understanding as he typed another message.

' _So you meant it when you asked me to save you?'_

He watched on helplessly as another wave of tears almost overcame her, the blonde nodding her head with more conviction this time.

After his final message had been written, he firmly connected his gaze with hers, his eyes offering a solemn vow that he really meant it as he held his phone up to the glass for the last time.

' _Then wait for me. I promise I'll save you.'_

She numbly stared at his message, completely still for a moment before the tears finally slipped free of her chocolate brown eyes, though to Natsu, they looked more like tears of relief than anything else. She softly nodded her head as she mouthed, ' _Thank you.'_

He nodded his head in return, feeling a bit choked up himself, though he didn't think he had the right to feel such a way when she was the one suffering.

He knew he should probably leave, but it felt wrong to do so when she was in tears. He didn't know what compelled him to do it, but he tucked his hand through the bars, pressing his palm against the glass and pouring all of his reassurances into his expression. He'd meant it when he said that he'd save her, and he desperately needed her to know it.

Almost as if on instinct, her left hand, the one with his name scrawled across its palm, came to press opposite of his against the glass. She rested her forehead against the window as well, and it seemed that just like he was doing his best to reassure her through his gaze, she was doing everything she could to show him her gratitude.

He reluctantly withdrew his hand, never breaking eye contact with her as he slowly backed away, heading towards the wall that surrounded her home. She gave him the smallest of shaky smiles before he turned his back on her, his hands shooting upwards to catch himself on the ledge as he propelled himself over the wall.

* * *

As she watched Natsu's form vault over the wall and the first of her sobs slipped free, Lucy pressed a hand to her mouth to muffle any of the sounds that threatened to bubble up from her chest. She collapsed onto her bed, burying her face into her pillow to better mute the sound of her whimpers, a foreign feeling of relief soothing its way through her veins.

Rescue was finally on its way, and in the form of an old, nearly forgotten friend.

* * *

Just as Natsu had taken his seat on his bike and begun sliding his helmet over his salmon tufts, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He wasn't all that surprised to see who was calling him, because he'd been right about what type of person the snowflake was.

He slid his thumb across the screen before pressing his phone to his ear, trying to keep his smile from slipping into his voice as he huffed, "Took you long enough, frosty."

* * *

Natsu let out a heavy sigh as he pulled into the underground parking garage of the club he'd been told to come to, quickly ridding his head of his helmet and nudging out his kickstand.

Gray was leaning against a nearby pillar, his maroon bowtie lopsided as if he hadn't been able to stop fidgeting with it and his hands tucked into his black slacks. He didn't lift his gaze from the floor, his voice heavy and low as he quietly began, "Is she…really in danger?"

"I don't know the specifics," the salmon haired boy admitted begrudgingly, "but she definitely needs our help. She told me so herself."

His rival finally lifted his head, his nose still colored blue with the bruise Natsu had given him during their fight in the plaza the previous night. His tone still held a dusting of distrust, but also traces of hope as he asked, "Are you really not going to run away this time?"

"I'm gonna follow this through," Natsu avowed, unflinchingly holding his friend's gaze. "I won't run away. I promise."

Gray glared at him in silence for a moment, but Natsu could tell that he'd finally gotten through to his rival. Gray believed him, he was sure, and although things between them definitely wouldn't be going to back to what they considered 'normal' for a while, it was certainly a start. And that was enough for Natsu to feel content, at least for the time being.

Another motorcycle suddenly drove down the slope into the underground garage, and Natsu's lips quirked as he watched Gray's expression change in reaction to who sat atop the bike.

It was the first time he'd seen Gray's smile in three years.

Elfman wasted no time in speeding towards them and kicking out his bike's stand, though it wasn't fast enough for Loke, the bespectacled red head shooting off the back of the bike before it had even come to a complete stop.

Loke rushed up to Gray as soon as his feet had hit the ground, obviously with the intention of tackling the raven haired boy. But he stopped short, his expression making it obvious that he was mentally replaying what had happened the last time the four of them had been together. He settled for simply setting a heavy hand on Gray's shoulder, giving him a little nudge as he looked the boy over, laughing awkwardly to cover up the fact that he kind of wanted to let himself be melodramatic and burst into tears at his relief over their reunion, "God, just look at you…Do you have any idea how much I missed you, ya bastard?"

Elfman grabbed Loke's shoulder and shoved him out of the way, filling in the space in front of the raven haired boy and giving him a look over before not-so-gently crushing the boy to his chest.

Chuckles filled the air as Natsu took in the sight of his rival being squished.

Loke haughtily stomped up to the hugging pair, obviously upset at having been shoved out of the way, "Elfman! What the hell?"

Almost sounding like he was choking back tears, Elfman proclaimed, "Hugging people is manly!"

Even though he thought he might suffocate if he stayed there long enough, Gray didn't do anything to escape Elfman's hold as his face was smothered against the larger boy's chest. His friends hadn't changed one bit. They were still just as ridiculous and stupidly loyal as they had ever been. He'd always known that it'd been foolish of him to think that they'd forget about him and move on with their lives so easily while he'd been imprisoned, but it was still reassuring to have them all blatantly show their care for him, even if they did it in rather impractical ways. His nose still ached from his fight with Natsu, and having his face smashed against Elfman's chest certainly wasn't doing anything to alleviate his pain.

Elfman finally pulled back as Loke cleared his throat, the orange haired boy clapping his hands together, "Welp, now that we're all together again for the first time in three years," he retrieved a black grocery sack from the back of Elfman's bike, smiling smugly and quirking a sly brow as he held it up for his friends to see, "How about a drink?"

* * *

The group of four had settled on an abandoned stack of crates in the corner of the parking garage, cracking open their beer cans and getting straight to business.

"So, what do we do?" Elfman started. "Should we just break into her house in the middle of the night and sneak her out?"

"I don't think it's gonna be that easy." Loke pursed his lips sourly, thinking back to their encounter with the blonde on the street in front of the billiard hall earlier that day, "And I know that this whole situation is definitely fishy, but what if she says that she never asked for help in the first place? Wouldn't that make things a hell of a lot more complicated for us?"

"That won't happen," Natsu firmly brought that trail of thought to an end, his mind filled with memories of the silent exchange he'd had with Lucy earlier. "She wants our help. I know it. Her eyes…they looked just like they did last time."

The salmon haired boy saw Gray's head fall forward in his peripherals, and he knew that the raven haired boy understood that he was referring to the conversation they'd had with the blonde before her brother had killed himself.

Loke's mouth opened as he went to speak again, but before he could, a voice Natsu didn't recognize sounded out from near the door to the stairs leading up into the club.

"Gray, aren't you supposed to be working?"

The salmon haired boy's gaze slid to the source, finding a blue haired man with a strange tattoo on the right side of his face in the doorway, a twinge of annoyance on his features, "Jose's gonna be pissed if he finds out you were here during work hours."

The raven haired boy dutifully stood, brushing his slacks off, "Coming."

The blue haired man didn't leave even though he'd received his answer, simply leaning back against the concrete wall next to the door and crossing his arms over his chest.

As Gray prepared to leave, Natsu hurried to fill him in on the rest of the details, "We're going early tomorrow morning. We want to catch them before they leave their house."

"Got it," the raven haired boy gave him a swift nod of his head. "See you at dawn." He didn't offer them anymore words of farewell, hurriedly brushing past the blue haired man and hurrying up the stairs.

Natsu lifted his beer can to his mouth, planning on chugging the entire thing and heading back to his hotel so he could get some sleep before what they had planned tomorrow. Elfman and Loke acted similar, silently gathering their things and heading back to the tan boy's bike.

"Hey, Dragneel."

He lifted his gaze to see Gray's blue haired coworker approaching them, the man's hands now tucked into his pockets and his features hardened.

Natsu didn't waste any time in being surprised that the man knew his name. He was well aware of the power, or rather the c _urse,_ that his last name held, and that there probably wasn't a single person in Magnolia that didn't know who he was.

"Do you know how Gray makes a living?" the man started, his tone full of spite. "He makes deliveries during the day, and he works here at night. He's trying to settle down, so you shouldn't try to get him involved with whatever it is you're planning."

Natsu felt fire in his veins. Looking after Gray was _his_ job, not this stranger's, even if he'd done a shit job of it for the past three years. He clenched his jaw as he spat back, "What do _you_ know?"

"When you get in trouble, you have your brother to rely on. Gray doesn't have anyone. You should know that by now."

Why did people have to keep bringing up Zeref? It wasn't like Natsu had asked to have an older brother like him, and it wasn't his fault that Zeref often abused the power he'd been given.

The salmon haired boy squared his shoulder, facing the man fully, "Thinking you know everything based on what you've heard is rather arrogant of you."

"And thinking that what you say will change things is ignorant of _you_ ," the man snapped back without missing a beat. He huffed out a bitter sigh, "Gray told me everything. You two come from completely different backgrounds. This conflict between you guys…it's just the way things are. Its fate."

"'Fate?'" Natsu sourly repeated, disgusted by the taste the word left on his tongue. "I don't give a shit. I'm going to change things."

The man gave him one last look that screamed _'I'd like to see you try,'_ huffing out something akin to a bitter laugh as he turned his back on the salmon haired boy and started up the stairs that led to club.

Natsu watched his back as he went, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

He would change things. Meeting Lucy, being in the same class as her, seeing her in the back of that van after three years… _that_ was fate. But what was going to happen to him and Gray wasn't set in stone. He didn't care if the entire world was fighting against them, he wouldn't lose his best friend again.

* * *

Gray let out a heavy breath as he entered the locker room at the back of the club, pinching the bridge of his nose in a futile attempt at easing the pounding of his head. It was nearly five-thirty in the morning now that the club had been cleaned to Jose's standards, and he'd finally been let off for the night. In retrospect, he knew he probably shouldn't have had that can of beer with the boys earlier. The alcohol in his system, combined with his second hand exposure to the cigarette smoke and God knew what else that had permeated the air in the club that night, was seriously messing with his head and making his vision go blurry.

Jellal was standing before his own locker in the dimly lit room, already out of his uniform and pulling on a jacket over his casual clothes.

Gray only gave his coworker a subtle nod of his head before moving to his locker, ridding himself of his bowtie first since that accessory was always the most bothersome for him. His vest came off next, and his hands moved to undo the buttons of his white dress shirt. His fingers paused in their action though when Jellal hesitantly began to speak, sounding like he'd rather not be having this conversation even though he was the one instigating it.

"Gray…I know it's none of my business," he slammed his locker shut, "but don't do anything stupid. Those three…they come from a completely different background than you and me. They don't understand what it's like. Just…don't let them manipulate you into doing something you'll regret."

The raven haired boy pressed his lips into a grim line. He knew that Jellal was just trying to look out for him, but he didn't take well to people thinking they knew what was best for him. He was the only one who knew everything about himself after all, and thus he was the only one who could possibly know what he needed to do. He'd make his own path, just as he'd always done.

"I can take care of myself."

A heavy sigh slipped through Jellal's lips and he nodded his head, knowing there wasn't much he could to change the boy's mind. He paused to throw a quick farewell over his shoulder before leaving his coworker alone in the room, "See you later then."

Once he was gone, Gray's focus drifted to the inside of his locker door, or more specifically, the three pictures he'd taped to the metal. He'd mentally chastised himself for hours when he'd first got the idea to paste them there. Decorating lockers was something middle school girls did, not ex-prisoners who worked in a night club. But he'd wanted the reminders of his past to greet his gaze every day as he came in to work, to make sure he didn't forget how he'd wound up in his current circumstances and why he couldn't stray from the path he'd set himself on, no matter how much he loathed his work.

A picture of him with his grandmother was the largest, and he'd purposely taped it at eye-level to make sure that he'd see her bright smile every day. He worked for her, and for her alone, determined to make something out of himself for her sake. She'd given him everything she could, and he wouldn't let her sacrifices be for naught.

The other two pictures rested more towards the bottom of the door, definitely harder to spot and easier to ignore when he wasn't in the mood to see them. They were of him and the three boys who had been his best friends since kindergarten. The first had been taken at Natsu's seventh birthday party. Elfman stood off to one side, a book hugged tightly into his chest and a bashful grin on his features. He'd always been more timid back then, and it had certainly been unforeseen that that feeble little boy would turn into the 'manly man' he was at present. Natsu stood in the center of the photo, a bright grin on his features, proudly showing off his missing front tooth, as he held Loke in a head lock, the boy's orange haired matted with mud and his arms blurred as he struggled for freedom. Gray was on the other side of the photo, cheering the fight on and obviously having taken part in it at some point, the mud, bruises, and scratches littering his frame giving his involvement away. Although, now that the raven haired boy thought about it, some of those bruises might have come from his father instead.

The other of the two photos was more recent, having been taken at a Christmas party during their junior year of high school. They'd all been drunk off their asses, and upon seeing the picture afterwards, Gray was loathe to see himself captured in such a humiliating pose, with his arm thrown over Natsu's shoulder in comradery. Despite his drunkenness at the time, he could actually recall a few details. He and Natsu had been belting the lyrics to a Christmas jingle in chorus, trying to out sing Mariah Carey in 'All I Want For Christmas Is You.' At some point in the night, Natsu's scarf had managed to move from its knotted position around his neck to being tied around his head, and somehow, Gray had been stripped of the ugly Christmas sweater he'd worn to the party. The raven haired boy donned a festive red nose, and matching red lipstick was smeared across his cheek. As far as he could remember, Juvia had been the only one wearing red lipstick that night, but for the life of him, he couldn't recall when the hell she'd kissed him. Elfman stood behind the singing, or rather _screeching,_ duo, enthusiastically pumping his fists in the air and cheering on their carol. Loke's arms were wrapped around Gray's arm, his cheek pressed snugly against the raven haired boy's bicep as he smiled bashfully. The orange haired playboy had always been an affectionate drunk, absolutely melting into a puddle at the slightest hint of anything even slightly fond.

Gray chuckled as he looked over the photos despite the bitterness that he still held inside himself.

Jellal had been right. He came from a background that was incredibly different than that of his three best friends. It was obvious, even in the picture of them when they were seven year-olds, his clothes a lot more rugged and even stitched back together in a few places, his frame lacking the same healthy, fully-nourished glow of the other three.

But the pictures he'd pasted to his locker door were also a testament of their lack of disregard for their differences in social status. Their dissimilarities hadn't stopped them from being friends in the past, and Gray knew full well that it certainly wasn't going to stop them now.

And just like usual, they were rushing off together to do something stupid, but inherently good-natured and forthright.

Gray quickly stripped himself of the rest of his uniform and shrugged on his casual clothes, slamming his locker shut behind him and striding out the door.

Dawn was quickly approaching, and he'd be damned if he let his friends be stupid, albeit with good intentions, without him.

* * *

Natsu started out of his almost-sleep state when the van they'd been waiting for finally appeared, and he blindly whapped at Loke, who sat in the passenger seat next to him, unwilling to take his eyes off of the van for even a second as he hissed, loud enough for the Strauss boy sleeping in the back seat to hear, "Get up!"

The salmon haired boy sunk down in his seat a bit, his eyes suspiciously trailing the dark haired woman that emerged from the van once it had stopped in front of the Heartfilia home. He clenched his jaw as she disappeared through the front gate, praying that once she came out again, she wouldn't spot them. He had parked Juvia's car down the street a bit, in the shade of a tree. Or at least they would be in the shade of the tree once the sun had ascended past the mountains that surrounded Magnolia, but at present, the sky had just barely begun to tint with only the slightest traces of orange. He figured he was far enough away to avoid detection anyway, but he couldn't help but feel on edge given what they were about to do.

In the seat next to him, Loke tiredly rubbed his eyes, and the sudden presence of massive, tan forearms leaning on his shoulder rest let the salmon haired boy know that Elfman was now awake, too.

The orange haired playboy blearily glancing around, "Why isn't Gray here yet?" At his friends' lack of response, his voice grew doubtful, "You…you don't think that guy with the tattoo changed his mind, do you?"

"Don't say that." Natsu sharply reprimanded, his eyes still fastened on the front gate, waiting for the dark haired woman to emerge again, "Gray won't let us down." To Natsu, it felt a bit like he was reassuring himself more than Loke. But in all honesty, he too, was wondering where the hell Gray was. They had agreed to meet up at dawn, after all, and the sun was rising ever higher with the raven haired boy still nowhere in sight.

Natsu's mind was snapped away from those thoughts when the dark haired woman appeared again, this time with Lucy and her father in tow. His hand shot to where he'd left the key in the ignition, twisting his wrist as the blondes and the woman entered the van.

Loke shifted anxiously in his seat as their car hummed to life, "Natsu…are we still gonna wait for Gray?"

The salmon haired boy straightened himself out in his seat, his jaw clenching at his inner conflict. He knew they could use all the help they could get, but the van was nearing the end of the street now, and if they didn't start after it, they'd lose it. He let out a frustrated grunt as he shifted gears, pressing on the gas, "Let's just go. We can't let 'em get away. Not again."

* * *

Gray cursed to himself as he ran from where his cab had dropped him off at the end of the street to the address he'd been given for Lucy's home, his heart dropping when he realized he'd arrived too late. The street was very obviously lacking the pizza delivery car his friends had told him they'd borrowed from Juvia.

But he certainly wasn't standing alone in the street. Half a dozen men and women were entering and exiting the Heartfilia house in succession, all with various tubs and cardboard boxes stacked in their grasps that eventually found their way into the back of the van that was parked in front of the home.

His hand shot to his pocket, his finger scrolling through his contacts for his desired recipient as fast as they could.

If the men and women here were doing what he thought they were, then the situation had just become a whole lot more dire.

* * *

Natsu didn't a waste a second as soon as his phone rang, sliding his finger across the screen and pressing it to his ear as he used his other hand to steer, his eyes still zeroed in on the van they were trailing as he ground out, "Where the hell are you, frosty?"

" _I'm at their house."_

The salmon haired boy could tell from the urgency in Gray's tone that something was wrong, and he didn't have to wait long to find out.

" _All of their stuff's being cleared out."_

"What?" Natsu hissed.

" _They're taking everything,"_ Gray ground out. _"Natsu, you have to stop that van no matter what. If you don't, we may lose her."_

The leather of the steering wheel creaked as he clenched his hand even tighter, pressing his foot down harder on the gas, "Wasn't planning on it." He dumped his phone into the cup holder in the center console as the van ahead of them turned right onto a bridge entrance, uncaring of whether or not Gray was still on the other line. He needed both of his hands to sharply veer their car in the other direction, breaking off from following the van and speeding through a side street to put himself on a path that would allow him to cut the van off at the end of the bridge. He'd grown up traversing these streets, and he'd raced through them with Gray countless times on their bikes. His knowledge of every little alley and side path of Magnolia would help him get ahead, as well as his disregard for traffic laws and speed limits, of course.

They whipped onto the bridge from the other side, far from being in the correct lain for a car traveling their direction and driving straight towards the van, on course for a head-on collision.

Natsu slammed on the brakes just as the van's driver did, the salmon haired boy's gaze determinedly set forward as he asked, "You guys ready?"

He could see Loke's knee bouncing in his peripheral, the orange haired playboy sounding more like he was trying to reassure himself as he huffed out his answer, "I'm the brother of a cop. I got this…I got this…"

"I was on the wrestling team," Elfman clenched his hands into fists. "If all else fails, I just chuck 'em off the bridge like a man."

"Then let's go," Natsu ground out.

Their doors were all shoved open at the same time and they strode forward, forming a line in font of their car with Natsu in the center, his friends at his flanks; all standing with their shoulders broad and fists clenched in determination.

* * *

Ultear sucked in a quick breath as she looked over the three boys standing in opposition to them, "It's…it's those evil spirts." Her gaze followed the salmon haired boy's, her eyes widening when she realized that he was staring directly at Lucy through the windshield, horror in her voice as she informed the three men in the car with her, "They've come to take what belongs to the Almighty."

Zancrow shared a glance with Kain over the center console, a maniacal smirk spreading across his lips as he ground out, "Well, then I guess we need to show them who they're dealing with."

Lucy continued to stare blankly forward as the two apostles exited the van, her gaze firmly connected with Natsu's. Even if he had given her all of his promises and reassurances the previous night, the exhausted, hopeless side of herself had constantly whispered haunting doubts from the back of her mind, whispering that he wasn't going to come, that he would turn his back on her like he had the last time she'd asked for his help.

But it was really happening. He'd really come for her.

She felt she might start crying when he gave her a soft nod of his head, her eyes following his lips as he mouthed, ' _I'll save you.'_

But she forced aside her tears, adrenaline shooting through her veins and newfound determination surfacing from God knows where. She hadn't thought she had any drive left, but now, when it counted, she was able to scrounge up whatever motivation she'd buried deep inside herself.

Natsu and his friends had come to save her just like he'd promised, but she wasn't going to just sit there completely helpless when they were out there fighting for her.

The three boys began striding towards their van, and she took that as her cue, diving forward to wrap her hands around the door handle. Ultear snatched one of her wrists before it could make it to its destination, and the blonde whipped around to face the dark haired apostle, letting loose a shriek as she shoved the woman backwards with all the strength she could muster, sending her toppling towards her father.

* * *

Natsu, Loke, and Elfman broke out into a full-on sprint simultaneously, charging the two men that had exited the van to oppose them. Elfman tackled the man that had previously been the driver, strategically taking on the more brutish of the two, knowing that his two smaller friends would've likely struggled with such an opponent. Loke went for the man with the disgusting mane of blonde hair, unskillfully launching his attack with a battle cry, his voice cracking to add to his embarrassment about his lack of badassery when compared to how his comrades were fairing. But he was certainly keeping the man's attention off of Natsu no less, which was exactly what Loke had been hoping for.

Natsu's hands slammed on the hood of the van as he struggled to maneuver around the two fights taking place, eventually deciding to just catapult himself over the front corner of the van to get to the back door on the passenger's side. His hands shot to the handle and he yanked it open with as much force as he could muster, his eyes widening at the sight that greeted his eyes.

Lucy's left wrist was caught in the grasp of two different pairs of hands, her father's and the dark haired woman's, shrieks slipping through her lips as she threw her own body around in an attempt to dislodge them. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of him behind her, and with his presence she seemed to abandon all intentions of leaving her companions unharmed, her feet flying up and kicking herself away from them with all the strength and dexterity she could manage in her panic.

Her wrist was free in the matter of only a few seconds, and she all but launched herself at the salmon haired boy, wrapping her arms around his neck. Natsu wrapped his arms around her waist in return, holding her tight against him as he spun them around, putting himself between the blonde and those still in the van.

Lucy's father vaulted over the dark haired woman and stretched his hand through the door, and Natsu wasted no time in slamming it closed, something akin to a slight thrill rushing through him as he heard a satisfying crack accompanied by a howl of pain.

The man's hand withdrew into the van once more and Natsu slid the door shut, hopefully for good, the dark haired woman inside unable to do much given the blond man now hunched over, practically collapsed on her lap. But before Natsu ran off with the blonde, he had one last clever thought, which surprised him given his normal tactlessness when it came to anxiety-inducing situations. He threw open the passenger door and dove over the seat and console, pulling the keys from their resting spot in the ignition before withdrawing his upper body and chucking them over the edge of the bridge and into the rushing river below.

He didn't waste a second more, grasping Lucy's hand firmly within his own, probably tight enough to bruise, but with the adrenaline pumping through him, he didn't have a moment to spare in concern. Besides, she was squeezing his hand back just as tightly, and keeping up with his pace just fine despite how unreal the whole situation seemed to the both of them.

As they passed, the salmon haired boy yanked the blond man with the greasy hair off of Loke and gave him a swift punch in the jaw, Elfman appearing at their side a moment later to tug the orange haired boy to his feet, his own opponent collapsed against the side of the van.

They ran back to their car altogether, Natsu practically shoving Lucy into the back seat and tumbling in after her as Loke slid into the driver's seat and Elfman into the passenger's. The salmon haired boy mentally thanked God that he'd thought to leave the car on, the dark haired woman finally out of the van and hauling after them, doing surprisingly well in her heels. Loke floored the car in reverse, the woman's hands just barely missing their hood as they sped off backwards and whipped off of the bridge. The orange haired boy quickly shifted gears and sped off down the main road, leaving the van and its occupants behind.

Natsu watched the dark haired woman's form shrink in the rear view mirror, his hammering heart finally calming down. The reality and success of what they'd just done was finally settling in, and he couldn't help the triumphant grin that threatened to break out across his features.

But the glory of the moment shattered as soon as the hand that was still grasped within his own began to tremble.

His gaze slowly traveled to the blonde, and his grin faded when he saw the tears pooling in her eyes, her brows pinched together as she stared blankly forward. He'd expected her to be thrilled and relieved that she was finally free, but still, she looked almost terrified, her bottom lip beginning to quiver.

"Lucy…" he hesitantly started, unconsciously tightening his grip on her hand.

His voice seemed to snap her out of her detached state, and the dam broke, her tears flooding down her face as sobs erupted from her chest. The hand that wasn't held within his shot to cover her mouth as she curled into herself, her eyes sliding shut and sending more tears down her cheeks.

Loke and Elfman were silent in front, though both had furrowed brows and varying degrees of worry across their features as her cries sounded in the small space.

Natsu reacted purely on his gut instincts, quickly shifting her palm to his other hand and reaching around her shoulders with his now free arm to pull her into his side. She willingly collapsed into him, burying her face in his shirt and soaking it with her tears.

"It's okay, Lucy," Natsu breathed out right next to her ear, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I won't let them take you away again. I promise. You're safe."

* * *

 **AN**

 **Yeah, remember last chapter when I said that Lucy wasn't gonna be saved so soon? ...I lied ;) But we're only about halfway done, so know that we're not in the clear just yet. And was the Nalu good enough for y'all? It's been a long time coming, I know, so I hope it was satisfactory. There's definitely more on the way, too ;)**

 **For all of you wondering about Another World, long story short: college is a bitch and free time is a foreign concept. I've started the next chapter, but finding the time to finish it is nearly impossible. However, after this round of midterms and essays is over, I hope to start pumping stuff out and I don't want to delay the next chapter too much longer! I want to have it out some time within the next two weeks if my schedule will allow me some time, just know that I haven't forgotten about it!**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading! And a special thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed! :D**

 **See you next Friday!**


	11. Chapter 11: The Bonds Between

**Chapter Eleven**

 **The Bonds Between**

 _Natsu watched the dark haired woman's form shrink in the rear view mirror, his hammering heart finally calming down. The reality and success of what they'd just done was finally settling in, and he couldn't help the triumphant grin that threatened to break out across his features._

 _But the glory of the moment shattered as soon as the hand that was still grasped within his own began to tremble._

 _His gaze slowly traveled to the blonde seated beside him, and his grin faded when he saw the tears pooling in her eyes, her brows pinched together as she stared blankly forward. He'd expected her to be thrilled and relieved that she was finally free, but still, she looked almost terrified, her bottom lip beginning to quiver._

 _"Lucy…" he hesitantly started, unconsciously tightening his grip on her hand._

 _His voice seemed to snap her out of her detached state, and the dam broke, her tears flooding down her face as sobs erupted from her chest. The hand that wasn't held within his shot to cover her mouth as she curled into herself, her eyes sliding shut and sending more tears down her cheeks._

 _Loke and Elfman were silent in the front seats, though both had furrowed brows and varying degrees of worry across their features as her cries sounded in the small space._

 _Natsu reacted purely on his gut instincts, quickly shifting her palm to his other hand and reaching around her shoulders with his now free arm to pull her into his side. She willingly collapsed into him, burying her face in his shirt and soaking it with her tears._

 _"It's okay, Lucy," Natsu breathed out right next to her ear, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I won't let them take you away again. I promise. You're safe."_

* * *

Lucy fiddled with the bandages around her right palm, the cut that she'd given herself when she'd clasped the jagged shard of glass two nights ago beginning to sting with how much she'd used her hand during her escape. Her other injuries, both surface and internal, were aching too, though the fading adrenaline in her veins was still making her somewhat numb to the pain.

The boys had driven her to the shore of Magnolia's one and only lake, and the blonde could tell that they came here often by how at ease they were as soon as they stepped foot onto the threshold. Loke almost immediately plopped himself on one of the benches, his two friends gathering around as he began to fuss over the bloody nose Zancrow had given him, the only injury any of them had sustained in the fight.

They seemed to have come here with the purpose of waiting for something, though they hadn't told her what. None of them had said a word to her since she'd managed to stop sobbing earlier, though she knew they were quiet because she purposefully exuded the vibe of wanting to remain silent for the time being. She needed time to allow her mind to catch up with all that had happened, because all of this, her freedom and the three that had saved her, still seemed too splendid to be reality.

As she stood a short distance away, quietly observing Elfman and Natsu's somewhat affectionate teasing of the orange haired boy, she couldn't help but feel like an outsider. She was sure that they didn't purposefully mean to exclude her, but as they tossed jibes at one other in a way that only best friends and family could, she realized that not only did she not belong in their group, but that the feelings of comradery and familiarity that they were enjoying right before her eyes had become completely foreign to her. She might once have relished in such intimacy with her and Sting's friends back in Crocus, but it had been more than three years since she'd seen any of them last, and the fact that she would never see any of them again had turned the nostalgia she might've felt at recalling her memories of them into bitterness and despair.

When she had first moved to Magnolia, she had hoped that she might one day be able to find happiness in the company of new friends once again. At first, Natsu and Gray had seemed like the most likely candidates, especially when the salmon haired boy approached her on her first day school, unwittingly asking her to play her favorite sport with them. Watching him throw his body around to dodge her spikes had been more than enough to cheer her up, and the boys coming to her and her twin's aid in the cafeteria that same day had only made her want to trust them more.

But even that had fallen through, Natsu's ignorance of her plea and Gray's imprisonment bringing an end to whatever beginnings of a relationship there had been between her and the two boys.

Considering all that she'd endured, and how it had changed her into a shell of what she used to be, she didn't think she could ever again have what the boys before her had. Although they'd just risked themselves for her, she admittedly really didn't know any of them all that well, nor did she have anyone else with whom she could say she was 'friends.' All of the people she'd given the term were either dead or long forgotten.

And after all that had happened three years ago, she thought herself foolish for ever thinking she could have been friends with the quartet of boys she'd met in the rain on her first night in Magnolia. They'd obviously been best friends for years, and hoping that she might one day fit into their group was a childish and selfish thought. In her eyes, she'd be imposing on their friendship, and she didn't want to force her mess of a life upon them or anyone else, regardless of their willingness to help her.

She wasn't sure what the future would bring, but she knew that now, even if this freedom lasted, she would never go back to how she used to be. She felt like she didn't know who she was anymore, and if she didn't know herself, then how was she supposed to expect anyone else to accept and care for her?

Her hands paused in their fiddling when she saw someone approaching their lone group from the corner of her eye, her heart rate immediately spiking in fear as her mind automatically went to the worst situation possible. But a wave of calm overcame her once more when she turned her gaze to find that it wasn't a member of Zentopia that was coming closer, but instead it was the only member of the quartet of boys that she'd ever felt she might be able to at least somewhat relate to.

Gray's hands were tucked into his pockets as he approached, a strange mixture of discomfort and conviction on his features. The emotions conflicted one another, and Lucy got the feeling that he shared her thoughts on wanting to be here more than anything, but feeling like they didn't belong. He kept dropping his gaze and returning it to her, as if he was undergoing a steady process of losing and gaining confidence again and again.

Upon catching sight of him and the way he was acting as he approached, the blonde knew right away that something must've happened between the four of them while she'd been away. The raven haired boy hadn't been there that night she'd run into the other three in the alley, nor had he been there when they'd approached her on the street nor earlier during her rescue. Those had been her first clues, and all those years ago, Natsu had confessed to her that he blamed himself for Gray's imprisonment. But the details of what had happened beyond that remained a mystery to her. It must've been bad, whatever it was, and she felt slightly guilty, for she knew that what had happened with Sting surely must've been the impetus for the change that had occurred in their friendship.

She noticed that the chattering and fussing of the three boys behind her had faded into silence, and she didn't have to tear her focus from Gray's to know that they had caught sight of the raven haired boy, too.

There were no rambunctious greetings or showy handshakes like Lucy would've expected of the four. There was only silence and complete still as Gray joined their small cluster around the bench.

Just like the other three boys, she kept her gaze steadily trained on the raven haired boy, doing her own look over of how he'd changed over the past three years just like she'd silently done to Natsu, Elfman, and Loke earlier. If she'd thought that he looked like he'd seen hell before, she could tell that he'd seen even more of it now. His time in prison undoubtedly hadn't been kind to him despite his still rugged and adamant physique, the age and understanding in his eyes no longer matching the youthfulness of his features.

Lucy swallowed heavily as she took notice of his changes. She'd been the one to drag him into the conflict between Sting and Macbeth and his friends, and thus she felt like she was at least partially responsible for the incident that had sent him to prison, even if she hadn't played a part in the actual event herself.

Her thoughts momentarily drifted to the last time she'd seen him, when she'd visited him right after he'd first been imprisoned. She had gone with the intent of thanking him and giving him all the encouragement and reassurance she could, and even though she'd accomplished her task, she'd still left their encounter feeling unsatisfied with what she'd said.

One 'thank you' wasn't enough. Not for Gray. Not for Natsu. Not for any of them, really. Even if she'd never really formally met Elfman and Loke, they'd still participated in the fight for her freedom, and for that, she was eternally grateful.

Despite her lingering uneasiness, she desperately needed them all to know how she felt before anything else happened, so she took it upon herself to break the serene silence.

"Thank you," she lightly breathed out, passing her gaze over each of them in turn. "Seriously…" she allowed her gaze to settle on Natsu as she murmured once more, "Thank you." She felt an overwhelming amount of gratitude for the salmon haired boy in particular. He had been the one to overhear her desperate cry that night in the alley, and despite how strange the situation must've seemed to him, he hadn't ignored it. And he had been the one to confront her on the street about her safety, too. She'd pegged him as the leader of their little group the moment she'd met them, and she had no doubt that he'd been the one to orchestrate her entire rescue as well. He'd even taken the time to come to her home and reassure her of her forthcoming freedom, and that little moment they'd shared through the glass of her window had been the push she needed not to lose all hope.

The salmon haired boy gave her a gentle grin in response to her sentiment, letting her know that even if he didn't fully understand the situation she'd been in, her gratitude was one thing that was blatantly clear to both him and his friends.

He let out a heavy sigh as he looked between the four before him, "Things are going to get harder from here on out. They'll definitely try to track us down, and they'll probably even report us. We'll all have to be careful about being seen out and about."

"Then where do we hide?" Elfman asked.

Natsu ran his tongue across his lips before catching the bottom one between his teeth in uncertainty, "I've got an idea, but I think we should ditch the car as soon as possible."

"What about Juvia?" Gray chipped in. "Won't they go after her since it's hers?"

"We taped over the license plate and anywhere the company name appeared," Natsu informed him.

"I think she should be okay," Loke mumbled through the fabric of the sleeve of his sweatshirt as he pressed it underneath his nose, the green quickly turning brown as his blood seeped into the material, "but she can keep using my bike to make deliveries until things calm down."

The raven haired boy nodded his head, content with the measures his friends had taken.

Natsu's gaze shifted to the blonde, who'd stood silently during the entire exchange, her hands quietly clasped in front of herself. Her face was still pale, her hands still clenched tightly together in uneasiness. He wasn't sure she'd even been paying attention to what they'd said, so he took a small step towards her to gain her attention as he comforted, "We're gonna take you to a friend's place, so you don't need to worry. Trust me, once you meet her, you'll feel totally safe." He did his best to summon his signature grin, though it'd been a long time since he'd used it, his voice light as he soothed, "I promise."

Lucy gave him a small nod of her head, though no matter how much she tried, she couldn't get herself to smile back. Despite her lingering uncertainty, his words still provided her with great comfort. She'd lost count of how many times he'd said those last two binding words to her over the past couple days, but every time they'd slipped from his lips, she'd felt that he genuinely meant them, and that he'd become someone who never went back on his promises.

* * *

Lucy quietly watched on as Natsu swallowed heavily, the salmon haired boy quickly inhaling as if to steel himself before he lightly rapped his knuckles on the apartment door before them. She was instinctively curled into herself as she stood a bit behind the group of four boys, though all of them were still clustered tightly together in the narrow hallway of the building.

The blonde didn't know what she'd been expecting when they'd told her that they were taking her to one of their friend's, but the scarlet haired girl that answered the door definitely wasn't what she'd anticipated.

The red head's features shifted to show her surprise as she caught sight of them, and though her reaction wasn't one of displeasure, it wasn't entirely merry either, almost as if she could already tell that they hadn't come for a simple visit. She seemed to read the mood immediately, and Lucy was overcome with an even greater sense of not belonging when she realized that the red head must be someone that had known the four boys whom accompanied her for some time.

"Hey Erza," Natsu nervously scratched at the back of his head, forcing himself to sound pleasant to mask his still obvious anxiety as he tentatively requested, "Can we…crash here for a bit?"

The red head's features immediately settled into a look of irritation, "Geez…you guys haven't changed a bit since high school." She kept one of her hands on the door, the other settling on her hip as she scrutinized each of them with her gaze.

Lucy curled into herself even more when the scarlet haired girl's attention settled on where she stood at the back of the group, immediately dropping her focus to the floor to avoid making eye contact.

Erza quirked a brow at the blonde girl whom she didn't recognize, not missing the scrapes, bruises, and other discolored patches of skin across her pale face. It seemed that the four boys whom she'd taken under her wing as freshman during her sophomore year of high school were back to their old ways, getting into trouble at every turn by dabbling in matters that didn't concern them.

She was fully intent on figuring out whom the blonde was later, but for the moment she decided to deal with the matter of whether or not she'd let them in like they'd asked, her brow quirked as she ground out, "I've barely heard a word from any of you since I graduated, and now you think I'll let you crash my apartment?"

"Uh…yes?" Loke put on a cheesy grin, his bruised and swollen nose doing little to aid his attempt at looking charming, "Please…?"

Erza's taut expression didn't flinch.

"Look, Erza," Gray started with a heavy sigh, "I know we haven't really talked to you in years, but this is important."

"I promise we'll explain everything," Natsu cut in, his features earnestly hardened in determination. "Just…let us hide here for a few hours, please?"

Her brows furrowed at the word 'hide,' but she felt herself caving at the desperation in his voice. Helplessness wasn't something she was used to hearing from Natsu, but he, and the rest of them for that matter, had made it clear whatever situation they'd gotten themselves entangled in was dire, and she had a feeling that it had a lot to do with the quiet blonde standing at the back of the group.

She let out a heavy sigh, her hand sliding from the door as she opened it further, "Fine. But you owe me."

Natsu might've said a quick thank you in response, but Lucy didn't hear it, having long since withdrawn into her own thoughts. She numbly trailed after the four boys as they filed into the red head's apartment, the door slamming shut behind them.

As the boys threw themselves across various couches and chairs like they lived in the place themselves, the blonde silently tucked herself into a corner created by a wall and a cabinet, her back sliding down the surface until she was on the floor. She immediately drew her knees into her chest, her hands clasped tightly together and pressed against her sternum, fear beginning to trickle into her thoughts once more now that her adrenaline had completely faded.

Pots clanked in the kitchen, which was where the red head had disappeared to, but the blonde tuned out all of the noise in the room, her chest beginning to feel stuffier the more in tune she became with reality.

She didn't have a clue about what was going to happen now that she'd accomplished the only goal she'd set for herself, and she hated the weight of the uncertainty. She didn't know what the boys who'd rescued her had planned, but she knew that sticking with them was her best bet, regardless of what their next move was. It was terrifying to think that she could trust people she barely knew more than she could trust people that she'd known for three years, and even her _entire life_ in her father's case.

A hand suddenly settled on top of her knee and she jumped, her eyes shooting from where they'd numbly zoned out to the figure that had come to crouch in front of her without her realizing.

Natsu was there, giving her a soft smile and doing his best to speak softly as he reassured, "You're okay now, Lucy. So stop trembling."

The blonde swallowed and looked down to her hands, only now becoming aware of their quivering. She bit her lip as she folded her arms to hide her trembling hands, her gaze shakily shifting from Natsu to where Elfman and Loke had plopped onto a couch and lastly to Gray, who'd settled in a wooden chair at the small table in the center of the room. She took a deep breath, fighting to get her voice to remain even despite her lingering fear as she breathed out once more, "Thank you."

Natsu let out a small chuckle, finally pulling his hand back from her knee, "You already said that, weirdo. And you don't have to say it for us to know."

Lucy wanted to smile back, but no matter how much she fought to, her lips wouldn't comply. She only managed to give him a small nod, her eyes still connected with his as he settled on the floor next to her, leaning back against the same wall.

"We've already come this far…" Loke suddenly started, his voice somewhat hesitant, "…mind telling us exactly what it was that we saved you from?"

The blonde dug her fingers into the sleeves of her sweater, unable to find her voice for the moment as her focus fell to the fabric of the jeans that stretched over her knees.

Telling them everything would be the final tug that sent them tumbling into the situation with no escape. Although she didn't know any of them particularly well, she'd could blatantly see that they weren't going to turn their backs on her this time, and their dedication to her cause could very well get them hurt. She'd never been one to ask for help at the expense of others, and getting them involved with the matters of Zentopia would no doubt be putting their lives at risk.

The apostles of Zentopia had already killed one person she held dear without any regret, and she had no doubt that they could do it again.

At her silence, Natsu gave her a worried look, and Gray seemed to catch onto her small panic as well. The raven haired boy cleared his throat to break the silence, giving the blonde a small smile, "Let's eat first. You're probably hungry."

As if on cue, the red head, Erza if Lucy remembered correctly, came into the room with oven mitts over her hands and a pot of something steaming in her grasp. If the girl had had the time to prepare them a meal, Lucy wondered how long she'd been spaced out before Natsu had something, because it certainly didn't feel like she'd been in the apartment for long.

The boys were all quick to gather around the table and take their seats, passing silverware and bowls around and scooping spoonfuls of mac and cheese into their respective dishes.

Lucy silently moved to sit next to Gray, almost unconsciously heading for a seat at the corner of the small table. She didn't scoot her chair back in all the way, purposefully keeping a bit of distance from the group and refraining from touching her utensils.

She suddenly felt sick, her stomach churning like she was going to throw up at any second. She'd begun thinking over what she was to going to say, and recalling all of the things she'd endured that she thought they should know had made her queasy. Her encounter with the cops two nights ago had made her mindful of how outlandish the situation she'd found herself in was, and she was suddenly overcome with fear as she realized that they might think she was insane just like the blond sergeant had.

Gray turned to her, his gaze momentarily dropping to where her fingers were clenched around the edge of her seat, "Lucy…aren't you going to eat?"

"Those people I was with…" the blonde lightly breathed out, tightening her grip on the chair. Speaking out about it was hard, a baseless doubt in the back of mind making her unsure of whether or not they'd believe her words. Zentopia had a pleasant and decent reputation after all, and the information she was about to share told a story that was quite different from any other account of the happenings at the church. Her quiet voice drew everyone else's attention, their utensils falling back into their bowls as she shakily finished, "…they…they were the members of a cult."

She finally managed to lift her gaze from her lap, tentatively shifting her gaze to each of the table's occupants to see their reactions. Shock and confusion were the most prevalent, and disgust soon joined the fray, Natsu's features in particular shadowing over with rage as she unsteadily muttered, "They wanted me…they wanted me to marry their leader…in order to find salvation."

* * *

"Loke, give me your phone."

"Why?"

"Just do it," Natsu pressed, already losing his patience.

The orange haired playboy pursed his lips, but dug in his pockets for his phone nevertheless. He plopped into Natsu's waiting hand, and the salmon haired boy immediately turned to hold it out to Lucy, "Take it."

Her gaze slowly traveled from his hand to his face, her brows slightly pinched and traces of fear in her voice as she breathed out, "Are you…you're leaving?"

"Just for a bit," he momentarily looked over his shoulder to where Loke had just joined his other three friends in the entryway of Erza's apartment, pleased to note that their attention seemed to be occupied by other matters. It looked like Gray was better explaining things to Erza, the way the red head's gaze kept shifting to Lucy tipping him off.

They had to ditch Juvia's car first and foremost, but the real reason they were all leaving was to discuss things now that they knew the full situation. He didn't want Lucy to have to sit through another conversation about what she'd been through, knowing that it'd been hard enough for her to recount a few of her experiences the first time.

He turned his focus back to the blonde, desperately wanting to reassure and comfort her but not knowing where to even begin doing so.

Cults had always seemed like something of fiction, the dark organizations part of a distant world that had no influence in their little valley town. Magnolia was too happy and vibrant for such a thing to exist anywhere in its proximity. The fact that a real cult was so incredibly close to his hometown and that someone he'd known had fallen victim to their practices was a lot to take in.

His shock aside, fury was the most prevalent emotion running like fire through his veins. What those people were trying to force Lucy into doing was disgusting, and he didn't see how any person in their right mind would urge an unwilling twenty year old to marry someone over three times her age. Though, he supposed his answer was right there; that anyone who associated with that cult absolutely wasn't in their right mind.

He decided to save the rest of his thoughts for later, when he could discuss them with his friends and they could decide how the hell they wanted to go about the situation they'd gotten themselves entangled in.

He let out a small sigh, still holding the phone out to Lucy as he did his best to keep his anger from slipping into his voice, "I promise you'll be fine here with Erza for the time being, and I'll be back later, but…" he firmly connected his gaze with hers, "…just in case anything happens, call me. I'll come running."

* * *

"So, just so we're all clear…her dad basically sold her off to these people?"

Natsu clenched his jaw at Loke's choice of words, but didn't say anything on the matter, knowing that there really wasn't a lighter way to put it. He silently picked at the chipped wood of their usual table at the Fairy Tail bar, his lips pressed tightly into a grim line.

Gray was similarly silent next to him, his arms crossed over his chest and his gaze turned away as he did his own think-over of things.

Loke shook his head and tsked, "This whole thing is just…insane."

"Their leader probably tricked her dad into joining," Elfman added in from place beside the orange haired boy. "That's gotta be the reason why he's just letting them do it."

Natsu clenched his fists on top of the table, hatred for Lucy's father rushing through him once more, just like it had on that night he'd snuck into her yard to find her locked into her room. His willingness to give his daughter to a man that was old enough to be her grandfather was sickening, and the salmon haired boy was overcome with the urge to hunt the Heartfilia patriarch down and sock him in the face.

But rational thought caught up to him before he could let himself get too carried in that fantasy, the idea immediately getting shoved back down when he realized that charging into a church full of cult members all on his own would likely do little good.

If he really wanted to help Lucy and get rid of those cult freaks for good for her sake, he definitely needed all the help he could get. Going at it alone wasn't an option.

He swallowed heavily, lifting his gaze to his friends, "We'll let Lucy rest up a bit, then take her to the station that Mira and Laxus work at tomorrow. We'll ask them for investigation."

Loke nodded his head, letting out a heavy, resolved sigh.

"Hey."

The orange haired boy jolted at the sudden voice right next to his ear, whipping around to find the brunette waitress' head peeking over the back of their bench, a tray of beer balanced in her arms.

"Jesus, Cana," Loke huffed out. "We're talking about important things, you can't just sneak up on us like that!"

Instead of getting back at the orange haired boy like she normally would, Cana narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she made her way around the bench to stand at the edge of their table, "You guys aren't up to something silly again, are you?"

Not in the mood for her or Loke's antics, Natsu simply responded, "It's nothing like that."

She pursed her lips and stared at them in suspicion for a moment more before sighing and distributing the drinks on her tray across the table, "Here. It's on the house."

Loke glared at her back as she moved to tend to the bar's other patrons, "Geez, she could've just given it to us nicely in the first place."

There was silence between the four for a few moments, all except for Gray indulging in the free drinks Cana had given them.

"Natsu."

They all looked to the raven haired boy as he huffed out his first words since they'd entered the bar, his focus finally shifting towards their table from where it'd been focused elsewhere for the entirety of their conversation thus far.

"Do…do we really have to take Lucy to the station?"

Natsu could immediately tell that something was up, his brows furrowed as he asked, "What's wrong?"

Gray's eyes quickly shifted between Loke and Elfman, "No offense, but…I don't trust them. We don't have much solid evidence yet, so you really think they'll do a proper investigation?"

The salmon haired boy knew that his rival was thinking about his own unfair investigation all those years ago, so he hurriedly reassured, "We have a witness, and they'll find evidence as they investigate."

"'Evidence?'" Gray repeated bitterly, huffing out an incredulous breath. "Do you really think these people are careless enough to leave behind evidence? If they were, don't you think they would've been caught already?" His tone suddenly grew darker, "In this town, if you have money and connections, you can easily make an innocent person guilty. That's what happened to me, so who's to say that it won't happen to Lucy just as easily? They can make her out to be anything they want as long as they can keep the truth hidden."

Natsu swallowed heavily, fully feeling the weight of the truth of his rival's statement. His own brother was guilty of such corruption, and since Gray had suffered because of it, he knew he'd never be able to forget such a grim truth.

But he refused to let that happen again as long as he could prevent it, especially when Lucy would be the victim.

He knew that Gray would still have a hard time trusting him for the time being no matter what he said, but he steeled himself and did all he could to reassure his friend through his gaze as he promised, "It'll be different this time. Trust me."

* * *

Levy swallowed heavily as she entered Layla Heartfilia's room, the packet Apostle Milkovich had given her clasped tightly in her hand as she slowly came to stand by the blonde's bedside. The dark haired woman had asked the blunette to fill in for her during her rounds to deliver the patients' pills to their rooms, and she'd given her very specific instructions. Levy was to place the small, glossy red pill she'd been given into Mrs. Heartfilia's mouth and give her a glass of water, and she wasn't to leave the room until she knew that the pill had been swallowed.

She tore the plastic packaging and pinched the pill between her thumb and forefinger, slowly withdrawing her hand and glancing to where Layla was sitting on the bed, her mouth opened and awaiting the pill just like she'd been trained to do over the past three years.

Levy bit her lip. This pill certainly looked sketchy, and it hadn't come out of a prescription bottle like the rest of the patients' pills usually did. Ultear had given it to her separately, and the blunette knew that that meant it wasn't anything good.

Her chills got the better of her and she tossed the pill and its packaging onto the cart she'd brought in with her, her hands going for a bottle of digestive aids instead. She knew that the woman in the bed wouldn't be able to tell the difference, and that meant that there would no one to tell on her for what she'd done.

* * *

"Gray!"

The raven haired boy flinched at the sudden, dreamy cry of his name, his eyes going wide at the blue haired girl barreling towards him. When he'd first entered the pizza shop, he hadn't expected her to catch sight of him before he could find her, nor did he expect her to vault over the counter to get to him.

He didn't pull back or cringe like he would've three years ago as she tackled him in a hug, instead simply setting a hand atop her head and smiling softly, "Hey, Juvia." After three of years of isolation from everyone he cared about, he'd take all of the hugs he could get.

"Why didn't you come to see me sooner?" she pouted as she pulled her head back to look up into his face, her arms still tightly wrapped around his middle. "I know you've been out for a few days now."

"Yeah…sorry 'bout that," he mumbled. "It's been kinda rough…"

"That's okay," she gave him a warm smile before burying her head in his chest once again, squeezing him even tighter, "You're here now and that's all that matters."

Gray felt his cheeks warm just a tinge. Juvia had had a very obvious crush on him since middle school, and her overwhelming affection for him used to make him feel like he was suffocating. But for once, he didn't mind having her hold him close.

"The guys wanted me to let you know that we stored your car in one of the garages at the Stauss' shop," he started, finally fulfilling the reason for which he'd gone looking for the blue haired girl. "You can keep using Loke's bike for now, but we'll get your car back to you as soon as stuff calms down."

She pulled back once more, her arms slipping from his sides this time and her brows pinched in concern, "Did something bad happen?"

Gray dropped his gaze to the floor, deciding not to tell her the specifics for her own sake, "We…might've done something really reckless, but I swear we had the best intentions."

"You're not in danger are you?"

"In all honesty…" the raven haired boy huffed out, "…I don't really know."

He flinched back a bit in surprise when her arms shot around him again, her head burying in his chest once more, "If you ever need anything, I'm always here. Be safe."

Gray finally let himself relax into the hug, throwing his own arms around her own smaller frame. Three years ago, he would've vomited at the thought of hugging the girl that had nearly become his stalker, but now he relished in her undying care for him, even after all that he'd endured.

She was someone that was just as stupidly loyal as his friends, and he was grateful for it.

* * *

Lucy swallowed heavily as she pulled her knees tighter to her chest, burrowing further into the couch and wrapping herself tighter in the blanket Erza had lent her. No matter how stuffy she felt, she didn't dare risk going near the windows for the sake of avoiding being seen by anyone outside. She would stay inside this apartment forever if it meant that she didn't have to go back, and letting herself melt into the couch to avoid having to talk to anyone in general was becoming more appealing by the minute.

Erza had tried to talk to her more than once over the few hours that she'd been staying in her apartment, but Lucy couldn't find it in herself to carry on the conversation for more than a few words. It seemed like her ability to converse with others about the mundane happenings of the world had been chipped away at over the past three years, and speaking about anything other than what was constantly on her mind was impossible. She couldn't stop thinking about Zentopia, and she couldn't stop herself from feeling afraid, no matter how much she told herself that she was safe now.

It just didn't feel permanent. Both Precht and her father had promised her countless times that no matter how much she resisted, they weren't going to give up on her, and she knew that those words still held true.

The blonde thought about her own promises, specifically the one she'd made to her mother.

" _I won't run away anymore, mom. I'll save you from this place myself."_

Layla was still there. Still suffering at their hands. And here Lucy was, swathed in a warm blanket and miles away from the church. She felt incredibly guilty for leaving her mother behind, and she prayed that the apostles of Zentopia hadn't followed through on all of the threats they'd made previous. She'd been told that her mother would be the one to suffer the consequences of her disobedience, and she hoped against all hope that her father still had the decency to stop them from doing anything to harm his wife.

But her father could very well be suffering, too, Lucy realized. Who knew what kind of punishments Precht had in store for the people who had let his dear bride be stolen away from him.

A knock suddenly echoed throughout the apartment and Lucy froze, her mind immediately going to the worst situation possible. Had they found her already? Were they going to take her back and torture her for her disobedience? Would she be dragged back only to find her mother already dead?

Her heart was set at ease when a voice from beyond the door called, "It's Natsu."

Lucy tugged the blanket tighter around her shoulders, holding it secure with a hand pressed against her chest as she slowly stood, her legs aching from how long they'd been scrunched up. She approached the door slowly, rising up onto the balls of her feet to take a precautionary peek through the peephole even though she already knew who was on the other side. She didn't want to let her guard down so easily, and she'd take every measure possible to make sure she stayed hidden, even tucking herself behind the door as she slowly pulled it open.

"Hey," Natsu greeted her with a warm smile, his voice light and soft.

The blonde's brows furrowed as she leaned her head forward a fraction, glancing down the hallway on both sides of the salmon haired boy.

Natsu seemed to catch on to her thought process, filling her in as he stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him, "Gray had to go to work, and Elfman and Loke had to go home. They've got people waiting for them, so they couldn't be here. And Erza's gonna be at her fiancé's all night." He cleared his throat as if in embarrassment, "I…I didn't want you to have to be on your own. Erza said you could take her bed. So…I'll take the couch, I guess…"

Lucy nodded her softly and caught her bottom lip between her teeth, pulling the blanket more tightly around herself as they both stood awkwardly in the entryway of an apartment that neither of them owned.

It was obvious to the blonde that Natsu didn't feel completely at ease in the foreign space either. His weight was pushed forward onto the balls of his feet as if he were constantly ready for action, his focus rapidly jumping from place to place.

Lucy didn't blame him for his fidgety behavior. She felt the same panic and anxiety that he did, but they just had different ways of showing it. Unlike him, she fought to keep all of her emotions internal and put on a strong front, though that method of coping was beginning to wear her down on the inside. She supposed her emotions were more apparent on her face now than they had been before, and her control over her feelings was beginning to slip. Her breakdown in the car earlier was proof of that.

Natsu cleared his throat and took the initiative of moving them further into the apartment, dumping the pair of grocery sacks in his hand onto the small kitchen table, "I picked you up some stuff on my way here. I thought you might be kinda hungry, but I didn't know what you liked, so I kinda just…got a little bit of everything."

If things were different, Lucy would've giggled at his simplicity in trying to accommodate to her taste. It would've made her heart soar, and her chest feel light and fluffy. She probably would've blushed too, and smiled till her cheeks were sore.

But because things were the way they were, any sound that she would've made got stuck in her tight chest, and her features remained blank and immovable. She was only able to manage another small, soft nod of her head from where she stood a few feet away, still partly in the entryway. She wasn't comfortable or brave enough to go closer to him for the time being, even though she knew that Natsu was undoubtedly someone she could trust. He'd saved her after all, and he hadn't thought her crazy after hearing her tales of all that the people of Zentopia had done.

He began pulling items from the bags and spreading them out across the table, happily listing them off as he did so, "I got some sandwiches; some chips and crackers; a little jar of salsa, the extra spicy kind 'cause that's my favorite; various juices; some chocolate, 'cause chocolate always makes me feel better; and…" his voice faded as he rummaged in one of the sacks for its last item, a soft, yet still triumphant grin on his features as he withdrew his hand, a roll of bandages clutched in his grasp, "this."

Lucy's brows furrowed for a moment, but then she noticed his gaze had dropped to the hand that she was using to keep the blanket wrapped around herself, the one with the bandages still wound around the wrist and palm. She curled into herself and turned her focus away, partly because he was still staring at her and partly because she was ashamed at having her injury found out. Natsu and his friends had already done enough for her, and she didn't want to cause them any further trouble or concern.

But it seemed like Natsu didn't care about her desire to refrain from being more of a 'burden,' and he tossed the roll into the air nonchalantly before catching it again as he nodded towards the table, gesturing for her to take a seat, "I noticed that you kept fiddling with 'em. Ya know, that kinda defeats the purpose. Figured we should get some new ones on there soon."

Lucy swallowed heavily. She didn't want him to see the gashes that littered her palm. She didn't want him to even think about how she might've acquired them. That story would undoubtedly make him think she was insane, and that was she an unstable threat, too.

But she could tell from the look in the salmon haired boy's eyes that he wasn't going to give up, and so she silently brushed past him and lowered herself into one of the chairs at the table, switching the gathered edges of the blanket at her chest into her other hand and shakily holding out her trembling right palm for him to see.

He gave her another soft smile, one that perfectly resembled the countless others he'd given her, as he plopped himself in the chair next to hers, sitting in it sideways to face her and gently taking her hand between both of his own, his fingers working to unravel the bandages.

His warm expression faded as the wrappings fell to the table, the two cuts running almost parallel across her palm finally seeing the light for the first time since the blonde had collected them.

The smaller of the two ran over the fleshy padding just beneath the bases of her four fingers, the other spanning from the dip between her index finger and thumb to the opposite side of her hand and coming to an end near her wrist. Both were crusted with dried blood, though due to the use of her hand during her escape, the scabs had broken away from the skin and fresh blood was beginning to seep through.

"Shit…" Natsu hissed. His gaze shot up from her hand to her face, fury beginning to filter into his irises as he demanded, "What happened?"

Lucy's gaze had drifted off to the side, her lips pressed into a thin line. She wasn't about to tell him that she'd tried to kill herself, nor was she going to whisper even a word about how she'd threatened her own father and three others with a shard of glass. She fought to get her voice to work nevertheless, knowing that giving him no answer was unacceptable, "I…don't really want to talk about it."

He stared at her for a moment more, obviously frustrated with the nonexistent amount of information she was giving him. But he quickly let out a heavy sigh, his gaze falling back to her hand as he twisted her palm to get a better look at it in the light, "They're both pretty deep. I'm glad I bought some disinfectant." He released her hand for a moment as he rummaged in the sacks on the table, pulling out a bottle and a package of cotton balls. He pressed a fluffy ball to the top of the bottle after he'd removed the lid, tipping the container over to wet the ball before grabbing her hand once more and warning, "This is gonna sting."

She let out a small whimper at the burning sensation that spread through the two cuts as he gently pressed the cotton ball against them, biting her lip to keep herself from letting out any more noises of weakness. The pain soon faded into small tingles though, and Natsu was quickly wrapping her hand once more, having to extend the bandages down her wrist again because of the odd placement of her injuries.

The blonde's brows furrowed as she watched him work, quickly swiping her tongue across her lips before hesitantly asking, "How do you know how to do this?"

He lightly chucked as tucked the end back into the wrappings to secure them, "Trust me, I've been in more than my fair share of fights. When we were kids, Gray and I would beat each other up almost every other day." He rubbed the tender flesh of his jaw, his finger lighting trailing the area where Gray had punched him in the plaza of the bull fighting stadium, "I guess things haven't really changed."

Her head tilted to the side in a silent question.

"All I'm saying is that we still fight," he answered, beginning to clean up the mess he'd made on the table while redoing her bandages, "and a hell of a lot more than regular best friends do, too."

"If you fight so much," the blonde started hesitantly, obviously worried that she was prying too much, "then why do you call each other 'best friends?'" She didn't expect an answer, knowing that just like she didn't feel like she could him everything, he shouldn't have to feel like he had to tell her everything either. She had her secrets, and he had every right to have some of his own, too.

But she did get an answer, one that was far more thoughtful than she would've expected from someone as impulsive as the salmon haired boy.

"Because during those fights, we understand the things that aren't said. As much as I hate to admit it, we just…get each other...better than anyone else does."

"I see," the blonde softly breathed out. Once more she was overcome with envy. The only person she'd had such a connection with had been dead for three years now, and the thought of finding someone else whom she could understand to such a depth felt almost like she would be betraying what she'd had with her twin.

And of course, the simplest thought of Sting brought a whole wave of horrid memories rushing back, a few of which included the salmon haired boy seated beside her. She stood before she could let her recollection of the past get the better of her. She'd already broken down in front of Natsu once today, and she wasn't keen on doing it again, quickly standing from her seat, "I…I think I'm going to go to bed." She turned her back on him, taking her blanket with her as she headed towards the bedroom, "Goodnight."

"Wait," he softly called after her, continuing once she'd turned back to him, "Aren't ya gonna eat something?"

Lucy's eyes traveled the array he'd laid out on the table, none of it sparking up her appetite. She swallowed heavily, softly admitting, "I'm…not really hungry."

"Oh…okay."

She immediately felt guilty at the way his features fell in disappointment, hurrying to fix things on instinct despite herself, "But…tomorrow. I'll definitely eat some of it tomorrow. I'll…I'll eat _all_ of it." Her gaze dropped to the floor as she abashedly mumbled out, "But I…you…you can have the salsa…since it's your favorite."

His face lit up again at her scramble, a soft chuckle slipping through his lips, "Deal." He stood from his seat, "Goodnight, then."

"'Night," she mumbled once more, giving him a small nod of her head before she hurriedly shuffled into the bedroom, nearly tripping on the trailing edges of her blanket as she tucked herself inside and did her best to quietly shut the door behind her. She plopped herself face first onto the bed, not bothering to catch herself on the way down or to untangle herself from her blanket.

Why did she feel so nervous around Natsu? Was it just because she'd had a severe lack of contact with anyone that wasn't affiliated with Zentopia over the last three years and now her social skills had withered away? She'd surely made a fool of herself, with her lack of eloquence and her words tumbling from her mouth in disorganized, jumbled chunks. The her of three years ago, the one that used to wind phrases into stories, probably would've gagged at the word-vomit that had poured from her mouth. She was ashamed of herself for being unable to form cohesive sentences that she could say in one go without stuttering in embarrassment and self-doubt. Before her time in Zentopia, such never would've been the case. She'd always prided herself in her way with words, and her ability to compose perfectly structured responses on the spot. She seldom experienced the regret of having left things unsaid like others did, because that was just the way her mind had worked back then.

That church had permanently changed her, and certainly not for the better like its people had endeavored to. She was fairly certain that the damage they'd done was irreversible, though she'd never really been one to give up hope completely, even in the darkest of times.

The blonde finally untangled her limps from the blanket she'd had wrapped around herself, holding fast to the top edge and kicking the bottom upwards with her feet a few times to spread it across herself evenly. Once she was content, she turned on her side, tucking her hands underneath her head as she tried her very best to let all of her thoughts fade away so she could get some sleep.

Just when she thought she was finally drifting off, a wall would creak or voices from another apartment would whisper through the ceiling and floor. Her eyes would shoot open at the sudden break of silence, and her mind would craft human shapes out of the shadows of the room. The shifting of the blanket across her skin would turn into Precht's hands running over her, and she would swear she saw Ultear's and Zancrow's crimson irises glowing in the darkness in the edges of her sight, only to turn her gaze and find nothing.

She'd lost count of how many times that'd happened, but angry tears of frustration had quickly become present in her eyes. She was exhausted, yet her mind refused to let her sink into the vulnerability that came along with sleep. If only she could find a way to get over her fear, a way to let the shadows stay shadows and the natural sounds be just that instead of attributing such occurrences to the things she was afraid of.

She needed something to ground her to reality, something warm to contrast the bitter cold of her nightmares and so undeniably present that she wouldn't forget where she was, that she was safe now.

She swallowed heavily when a thought surfaced in her mind, and she remembered that she wasn't alone in the apartment. The salmon haired boy on the other side of the door was something she couldn't attribute to her delusions, his warm existence definitely very real and something she couldn't deny if he was right beside her.

A few moments passed in contemplation. She didn't want to be a burden to him. He was probably already asleep, though she couldn't be sure how much time had passed since she'd sat with him at the kitchen table. It had to have been more than an hour though given the way her eyes had adjusted to the darkness in the room, and he'd looked just as exhausted as she felt.

But as her frustration grew, she made her decision.

She slowly slid her legs out from under the blanket, going to retrieve him not because she wanted sleep, which she undoubtedly did, but more so because she desperately wanted to stop feeling afraid. Maybe sleep would follow after her heart had been set at ease, but what she wanted more than rest was to know that she really was safe, that there was still someone there for her, someone she could trust.

Her bare feet skimmed the cold, hard-wood floor and she cringed back a bit at the temperature, setting them down much slower the second time around. The wood creaked beneath her feet as she stood, and she padded across the rest of the floor on the balls of her feet to avoid making any more noise.

She twisted the nob and opened the door slowly, peeking her head out first to see if he was already asleep before she called out to him.

Lucy's gaze found him seated on the couch, his legs propped up on the table and half-eaten chocolate bar in his left hand. He'd changed into an older-looking white t-shirt and a pair of dragon-covered pajama bottoms, a spare pillow and blanket piled on the edge of the couch beside him. His face was illuminated by the screen of his phone, and she could see that the thumb of his right hand was busy scrolling through a Google search page, but she couldn't read what he was looking up from where she stood.

The blonde bit her bottom lip, slowly working up the courage to softly call, "…Natsu?"

His head turned to look at her over the back of the couch, his eyes widened a fraction since he hadn't heard the door open, "Yeah?"

She crossed her arm across her chest to rest her hand on the doorframe near her head, her gaze dropping to the floor in embarrassment, "I…I can't sleep."

"Oh…" his eyes shifted away for a moment before snapping back to her, the salmon haired boy obviously not knowing how to handle the situation, "Is…is there anything I can do?"

"Could you…" Lucy took a deep breath and swallowed in an attempt to ease the tightness of her throat, once again taking a few moments to gather the courage to ask, "…could you come lay with me? Just until I fall asleep?"

He stared at her in silence for a moment, his eyes widening even more, "You…you sure you want me in there?"

She nodded her head and let out a small hum of affirmation, knowing that any attempt at actual speech would come out in a stutter. God, it was embarrassing. She felt like a little kid again, and the fact that she barely knew Natsu was making things even worse.

"Um, okay…" he tossed his phone onto the coffee table, shoving the rest of his chocolate bar into his mouth and mumbling, "…just…just give me a sec."

Lucy retreated back into the room and laid down on the bed once more, her back to the door as she scooted as close to the edge as she could manage without falling off.

She didn't have to wait long for Natsu to come in, the sound of the door softly closing breaking the previous silence, followed by the dipping of the bed as the salmon haired boy lay on the other side, also as close to the edge of the mattress as he could be.

The blonde was silently grateful for the fact that Erza had a full-sized bed, knowing that it would've been incredibly awkward if they had been forced to be closer than they already were. She probably wouldn't have even asked him to come in with her in the first place if the bed had been smaller though.

They laid in silence for a bit, and although Lucy admittedly felt safer, she didn't feel any more ready to drift off into unconsciousness.

Natsu didn't seem to be relaxed enough for sleep either, his frame still tensed as if he was trying his hardest to avoid movement.

Lucy decided that if they were going to lay their awkwardly together, she could at least do her best to ease the tension, her thoughts drifting to their earlier conversation as she gently called, "Natsu?"

"Yeah?" he hummed in response.

"Earlier…when you said that Loke and Elfman had people waiting for them…" she started tentatively, "…don't you have people waiting for you? Don't your parents live in Magnolia?"

He was silent for a moment, though she couldn't tell if it was because her question had caught him off guard or if he was thinking over his answer or if he didn't even want to respond at all. But he was soon letting out a heavy sigh, his voice heavy, but still full of acceptance as he explained, "My parents passed away when I was kid, so I barely remember a thing about 'em. My older brother and I were adopted by some really nice people, but they died too, about ten years ago. My brother still lives in Magnolia, but…I don't really talk to him much anymore."

Lucy didn't know what to say, but it seemed she didn't have to say anything, the salmon haired boy continuing on without her response.

"There was this other girl we were adopted with, Wendy, and she's like a real little sister to me now. If there were anyone waiting for me, it'd be her. But…she…she had an accident a few years ago."

Lucy braced herself for the worse, preparing to hear of the little girl's passing. Her heart lit up a fraction when she found out that such wasn't the case, but it was soon spiraling back into sorrow when she heard what had become of the girl Natsu considered his little sister.

The salmon haired boy's voice was strained and a lot quieter than it had been before, "Her spinal cord was injured, so she can't function like a normal person anymore. She's confined to a hospital bed, and she can't talk. We…we don't even really know if she's still processing anything, or if she's gone entirely."

Lucy sucked in a sharp breath, her brows furrowing in sorrow for him and the girl, "That's…that's _awful_. I'm so sorry." She didn't know how old Wendy was, but since she was definitely younger than Natsu, that meant she still had to be in her teens. To lose the ability to function at such a young age was a horrible thing, and she couldn't imagine what the salmon haired boy was going through as he watched his little sister suffer.

"You don't have to be," Natsu replied, his voice growing louder and gaining strength. "She'll get better. I know it."

The blonde gave him a small hum, admiring him for his faith in his loved one and his endurance in his trial. It seemed that her judgement of him had been wrong on that first night she'd seen him the rain. He'd obviously seen a bit of hell, too, just like she and Gray had. His refusal to let his tribulation weigh him down was beyond commendable, his vibrancy and determination to keep on living further testifying to his character.

Hearing Natsu's story of his little sister brought back memories of someone that had become like a younger sibling to her, someone that had been undergoing their own trial, but had kept on living nonetheless. It'd only been a few days since the incident on the train tracks, but with all that had happened, it felt like it'd been months. Her last moments with him were still constantly replaying themselves in the back of her mind, refusing to be forgotten, their presence further lengthened by the fact that she'd never gotten the chance to properly mourn over him.

She'd wanted to be able to remember him with someone else who could actually grieve with her over his loss, not someone that sought to comfort her by constantly reassuring her that he was now in the Almighty's arms.

Natsu was here now, and she knew that he'd understand.

She swallowed heavily before she began, her voice heavy with the weight of the past, "Back at Zentopia…there was this boy named Romeo. He had an intelligence disability, but he was still pretty outgoing and lively. He didn't let his lack of understanding slow him down. I was having a hard time when I first met him, because of what had happened to Sting…but Romeo kind of became like a little brother to me. He was the only reason I didn't go crazy over those three years I spent there."

The salmon haired boy silently waited for her to continue, knowing that she had more to say.

She wrestled with her throat for a few seconds, her voice choked as she shakily breathed out, "They killed him…pushed him in front of a train…" She swallowed heavily, tears filling her eyes but not falling, "In the official police report, they blamed his death on his disability, saying that he ran in front of the train himself. That's what kind of people they are…people that would kill an innocent kid just because he got in the way."

She'd been able to feel Natsu's body gradually growing more rigid through the mattress as her story progressed, and when she turned onto her other side to face him, she found him lying on his back, the hand that she could see tightened into a fist at his side as he glared up at the ceiling, his jaw clenched. He was angry, maybe even furious, but she didn't know him well enough to read to his expression to know exactly what he was thinking.

The blonde licked her lips and blinked her eyes free of her tears before she finished saying what she wanted to. Her voice was rid of its previous strain, but still soft as she started, "My mom…she's still there. And Romeo's dad, and countless other people who are lost and don't know what that church really is."

She held Natsu's gaze as his head turned towards her, her voice growing stronger as she steadfastly resolved, "But _I_ know what they're hiding, and I refuse to let those people that call themselves Father and apostle get away with what they've done. I don't want to run away anymore, Natsu. I'm going to tear that place from the ground myself."

* * *

 **AN**

 **Yaaaassss, the Nalu. That entire last bit with them in Erza's apartment wasn't in the show, it was something I created all on my own to give them some more time together since the show doesn't give their characters much, so I hope you enjoyed it :D And Gruvia, too, of course. That ship wasn't originally supposed to be a part of this fic at all, but then the opportunity to arose to add some in, so I figured I might as well ;)**

 **And Lucy's goals are beginning to change! So the plot thickens~**

 **I hope you see where I'm going by adding in all of these new characters. The network of people who know that somethings up with Lucy, the boys, and the church is steadily is growing, and they'll all have somewhat of a role to play in the climax.**

 **Stuff gets crazy again next chapter, and a character that we haven't seen in a bit comes back, too!**

 **I only have one more essay to write and one more midterm, and after that I'll be devoting some to Another World! Next Chapter will be out soon, I promise!**

 **As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all of the support! Every favorite, follow, and review means a lot! I've loved reading about your reactions, thoughts, and predictions, and I look forward to hearing from you again!**

 **See you next Friday!**


	12. Chapter 12: Kettering

**Chapter Twelve**

 **Kettering**

Lucy swallowed heavily as she stared at the doorknob to Erza's apartment, well aware of the three boys watching her every move from over her shoulders. They were waiting for her to do the simple thing that was leaving the apartment, but her heart was suddenly overcome with fear and uncertainty as she was faced with the task. Stepping beyond that door meant stepping beyond the threshold of safety, and that she would have to confront all of the things she'd been hiding from. Venturing outside meant that she might be recognized by someone from Zentopia, and then all that Natsu, Loke, and Elfman had done would be for nothing.

Foreseeing this risk, Erza had allowed her to borrow a pair of pants to change into so that she didn't have to deal with the long skirt she'd been in during her rescue, though the red head was a bit taller than her, so the black skinny jeans she'd slipped into crumpled at her ankles. The gray sweatshirt Natsu had given her was in a similar state of bunches around her wrists, and it fell well past her hips, hanging incredibly loose on her small frame. She'd also weaved her hair into two Dutch-braids so that it'd be easier to tuck into the hood when it was over her head.

The boys behind her had also taken every measure they could to hide their appearances, namely their hair colors, without seeming too suspicious. All three donned either a sweatshirt or a jacket, and Natsu and Elfman had both brought along caps to hide their bright locks in addition to their hoods. Lucy hoped that since the weather was steadily growing colder as winter approached, their bulky clothes wouldn't seem too out of the ordinary.

But she was still incredibly nervous despite her hopes, her heart hammering as she slowly reached for the knob. Her fingers wrapped around the handle and she twisted it open with her lips pressed into a tight, determined line. Venturing outside was terrifying, but if she ever wanted to be rid of her fears, it was something that had to be done.

* * *

"Here."

Lucy bit her bottom lip as Natsu offered her a white helmet, her fingers tangled in the portion of her sleeves that extended past her hands as she glanced between the salmon haired boy and bike behind him. She'd never ridden on a motorcycle, and with the way her life had been going, she didn't know if her heart could handle the new experience. She once thought it'd thrilling to give it a try, but now she was terrified at the thought.

Loke was already seated behind Elfman on the tan boy's own motorcycle, the duo silently watching the exchange between the blonde and the salmon haired boy.

Natsu gave her a soft smile, trying to be as gentle and as reassuring as he could, "I'll go slow, I promise. We're trying to keep the attention off of us, so speeding definitely isn't an option this time."

Her gaze fell to the pavement as she fought to work up the courage to just take the damn helmet and get on his bike behind him, telling herself that since Natsu was the one driving, she'd be fine. He'd certainly done all he could to reassure her and make her feel comfortable during their time together the previous night, and although she'd been in and out of sleep, she knew that he'd stayed by her side the whole night through, making sure that when she awoke, she was well aware of where she was and that she was safe. She wasn't sure if he'd slept at all, and she was sure that he must've been uncomfortable since he'd confined himself to only a fourth of the bed.

She was eternally grateful for what he'd done, both last night and when he and his friends had rescued her. By coming to her aid and refusing to abandon her despite the gravity of the situation, he'd proved himself worthy of her trust again.

With those thoughts strengthening her motivation and soothing her racing heart, she slowly took the helmet from his grasp and slid it onto her head. It settled into the correct position just in time for her to catch sight of Natsu's warm grin through her visor, his expression looking almost proud.

"Hop on and hold onto me tight, 'kay?"

Lucy swung her leg over the seat and lowered herself behind him before she could let herself chicken out, scooting as far forward as she dared. As she silently complied and wrapped her arms around his middle, she felt her heart begin to race for a different reason than it had previously.

Before she could elaborate on her feelings, the bike revved to life and she jumped, instinctively hugging Natsu tighter and burying her head in his back as a quick shot of fear raced through her.

"You don't have to worry, Lucy," Natsu soothed over his shoulder, somehow still sounding gentle and reassuring even though he had to shout to be heard over the motorized hum of his bike. "Everything will turn out fine. I promise."

The blonde nodded against his back, still holding tight to him despite the fact that she trusted him wholeheartedly. Even if she was beginning to feel less of afraid of the prospect of riding a motorcycle, she was still terrified that everything wouldn't turn out fine, and that somehow she'd wind up back at Zentopia and she'd be forced to marry Precht. But what worried her even more was the horrid possibilities of what might happen to the three boys who'd risked everything to save her. They wouldn't let her go easy, she knew, and neither would Zentopia. The preacher and his apostles were undoubtedly already furious beyond belief, and if a fight were to occur, she knew that neither side would escape without losing something, even something as precious as life.

* * *

Loke shivered as he and his three companions wandered through the halls of the police station, quietly remarking to himself, "I didn't even do anything wrong, but this place still give me the creeps."

Natsu shoved his hands further into the pockets of his sweatshirt, wordlessly grumbling to himself in frustration. First, Gray had refused to go to the station with them, completely unwilling to even risk seeing any of the same people who had locked him away for three years. Then, they had arrived to find that Laxus and Mira were on a call, and thus they were left to aimlessly wander around the hallways until they returned, or at least until they could find someone else who could help them, which Natsu was reluctant to settle for. He wanted Lucy's case in the hands of someone he could trust, but he knew that not everyone was always afforded such a luxury. With their luck, they'd probably get stuck with some shit detective that just wanted to get the whole case over with as quickly as possible.

Almost as if on cue, someone called out from behind, "Can I help you?"

Natsu glanced over his shoulder, the rest of his body slowly turning as he caught sight of the man who stood behind them. It was the very same detective that had been put in charge of Gray's case all those years ago, the one that had refused his phone calls and did everything he could to avoid hearing Natsu's testimony of what had happened during the accident with Macbeth.

The detective seemed to recognize him too, his brows furrowing, "Hey…aren't you the governor's brother? I thought you were studying law in Crocus. What brings you here?"

* * *

"So…you're saying that your dad forced you into joining a cult? And the leader of that cult is trying to marry you by using salvation as an excuse? Is that correct?"

Lucy curled her fingers tighter around the edges of her seat, biting her lower lip as she anxiously nodded her head.

Sitting in chair in front of a detective's desk made her feel more like she was being interrogated than finding help, and despite finally telling her story to someone who had the power to actually do something about it, her heart was pounding again. At least Natsu and the boys were still by her side, though Detective Gryder had warned them about interrupting the interview. He wanted to hear her thoughts and her thoughts alone, and in the beginning, he'd been as encouraging and unimposing as he could manage, although she was still terrified. Her anxiety grew the longer she talked and the more she told, and she could no longer bear looking the detective in the face for the sake of maintaining her resolve.

"Detective," Loke suddenly chipped in from his spot near the edge of the detective's cubicle, leaning forward with his arms crossed over his chest, "don't you think this interrogation is a bit too much?"

Lucy swallowed heavily. She supposed her concern must be visible, so she did her best to uncurl her fingers from around the edge of the seat and placed them in her lap instead, taking a deep breath to clear her face of all emotion. She didn't want to be weak anymore, and she was done being a burden to the three boys behind her.

"They should be arrested for this, don't you think?" Elfman added in.

Mest let out a heavy sigh, looking them all over for a moment before spinning in his chair to face his computer, "Let's go through this properly, step by step, before we jump to any conclusions." He glanced at the blonde in the chair in front of his desk for a moment, "Can you tell me your name and other personal information?"

She nodded her head before softly starting, "I'm Lucy Heartfilia, and I'm twenty years old."

He suddenly tensed as he turned his full attention back on her, setting an elbow on his desk and leaning forward as he scrutinized her with his gaze, " _You're_ Lucy Heartfilia?"

The blonde glanced to the three boys behind her, unnerved by the detective's sudden shift in behavior. He definitely seemed to recognize her name, and she began to feel like she'd made a mistake by revealing her identity.

"And what's your dad's name?"

"…Jude…"

Mest huffed out a heavy breath, almost as if in disbelief, running his hand through his scruffy hair as he bitterly remarked to himself, "God, I can't believe we wasted all that time last night." He leaned back in his chair, turning his suspicious gaze to the boys standing a short distance away, firmly demanding, "How do you three know her?"

Natsu looked to his two companions for the briefest of moments before returning his focus to the detective, his arms crossed over his chest as he steadfastly declared, "We're her friends."

The blonde's hands clenched into fists in her lap at the term. It'd been so long since anyone had referred to themselves as her friend, and a spark of hope alighted in her chest when she thought that since Natsu considered her a friend, maybe she could one day belong with their group after all. She hadn't thought that anyone would want her and her burdens, but even after hearing of the load she carried, Natsu hadn't turned away, nor had any of the other boys.

The detective suddenly raised his voice to be heard by the intern seated at the next desk over, "Hey, call Jude Heartfilia and tell him to come pick up his daughter."

The intern's response of affirmation was drowned out by Natsu's furious shout of, "What?!"

Lucy flinched as his voice sharply sounded out, curling into herself both out of surprise and terror. This was exactly what she'd feared would happen. Her last encounter with law enforcement hadn't gone well, and it seemed that this confrontation was going to end similarly, with her back in the hands of her captors.

"Her dad came to us last night to report her abduction," Mest held Natsu's fiery glare with ease, more than used to have to deal with heated and furious individuals. "We were on emergency alert all night."

"But her dad's the one that locked her up!" the salmon haired boy spat. "Then he forced her to join that fucking cult and he's making her marry the leader against her will! You know just as well as I do that all of that's a crime, regardless of if he's her father or not!" He huffed out a few short breathes to calm himself, though replenishing the air in his lungs didn't have its desired effect; his frustration only growing when the detective didn't even flinch at his yapping.

"Look," his voice grew softer as he cast a quick glance at Lucy, only able to see her back but still fully capable of sensing her distress, and he felt that he was partially to blame. Yelling wasn't going to solve anything, no matter the contents of his tirade. He made sure to place special emphasis on what they'd really done as he explained his and his friends' actions, because they sure as hell had abducted her, "We _rescued_ her because she asked us for help. Knowing that, are you still going to send her back?" he accused, his arms folded over his chest once more.

"This is clearly a family matter then," Mest rebuffed. "So, why are you guys getting involved in something that doesn't concern you? Plus, I can't start an investigation based on what you tell me alone. If we investigated every little concern that gets sent our way, then we'd never get a break. Since you're studying law, you should know that I need solid evidence first. The only evidence we have so far makes you three out to be the bad guys."

"This isn't just some stupid family matter, its domestic violence and forced confinement," Natsu ground out. He'd hated the college major his brother had forced on him, but now, he found that what he'd learned was coming in handy, "Anyone, regardless of their relation to the suspect and victim, can make a report about domestic violence. And as an officer, you're supposed to separate the victim and the assailant as soon as you receive the report." His voice grew darker and heavier, laced with more fury, "So how can you send the victim back to their abuser just like that?"

Mest's poise was beginning to crack, though not because the salmon haired boy's jibes were undermining him, more so because he was annoyed at having to deal with the four before him, namely the Dragneel boy. "Not all disciplinary acts are considered domestic violence. And like I said before, we need solid evidence before we can investigate. That's how the law works. Plus, it's incredibly difficult for any form of law enforcement to meddle with a church organization."

"God, this is driving me insane," Loke mussed a hand through his orange tufts of hair, looking around for some way to vent his frustration. Natsu was in a similar state of disarray, though his fists were clenched and he looked ready to pounce on the detective.

The only person in the group that was completely still was Lucy, her hands still fisted in her lap and her head bowed, hiding her expression from sight.

"I already told you, her dad and the cult leader are working together!" the salmon haired boy raised his voice once more, taking a step closer to the detective's desk. "Do we have to let them beat her first?! Will you believe us then?!"

"I can charge you for the way you're acting, you know," Mest lowly huffed out, his irritation inflaming more and more at the provocation. "Abduction, obstruction of justice, and contempt. I don't think even your brother could save you from those charges."

"I don't care about what happens to me!" Natsu spat back without a moment of hesitation. "How can you just send her back to them?! You're a cop! You're supposed to help people, not send them back to their doom!"

"I've had enough of!" the detective shot from his seat, his hand slamming down on his desk. His voice dropped dangerously low as he ground out, "This is a family issue, so it should be solved within the family and by professional family consultants, not some meddling kids!"

Natsu wasn't one to give up so easily, charging forward so that he was directly across from the detective, "You can't send her back to them! They're gonna make her marry a man three times her age! If this was problem that could be worked out so easily with her dad, do you really think we would've come here?!"

"That's it!" the detective directed his voice outwards, "Get him out of here!"

The same intern from before stood and made a grab at Natsu's wrist, but Elfman stepped between him and his salmon haired friend, shoving the intern backwards. Previously, their shouting had caught the attention of nearly everyone else in the precinct, but now that things were getting physical, their spectators decided to step in. A group of five officers and office workers flocked to the area to begin pulling the three boys away at the demands of their superior officer.

Natsu didn't even glance behind him as his wrist was snatched and tugged on, pointing an accusing finger at the detective with his free hand, "I thought you might've changed after what you did to Gray since you got promoted, but you're still the same piece of shit that you were back then!"

"…please…stop…" Lucy quietly breathed out, her fingers clenching around the edge of her seat once more.

No one heard her plea.

"Put them in a holding cell!" Mest commanded.

"You don't deserve to be a cop if you treat your citizens like this!" Natsu didn't tear his furious glare from Mest as he and his friends were tugged away from the detective's desk, his need to get back at the man too great for him to bother fighting back against the people dragging him off.

Elfman and Loke on the other hand were doing all they could to break free, though the orange haired boy seemed a bit apprehensive about fighting against the people who were his brother's coworkers at first.

Mest wasn't giving on his side of the fight either, still lashing out from behind his desk, "You think you can disrespect us because you're the governor's brother? He won't be able to do anything to stop us from setting you straight."

"You'll regret this!" Natsu screeched, finally beginning to struggle against the people dragging him, if only so he could bury his fist in the detective's jaw once he was free.

"Stop it!"

Everyone stilled at the shriek that suddenly slipped from Lucy's mouth, her cry far louder and more desperate than any of the shouts that had sounded in the precinct earlier. Every pair of eyes shifted to her as she slowly stood from her chair in front of the detective's desk, her head lifting so she could firmly connect her gaze with Mest's, not an ounce of fragility in her voice or expression as she steadfastly professed, "I'll go back."

Natsu's eyes widened, his arms slowly going limp in the hold of those who had grasped onto him. If the situation had been different, he would've been in awe of her strength, but he'd spent every minute of the previous night at her side, and he knew how terrified she was. This supposed new found courage she was displaying was fake, or at least, it was misplaced. He knew without a doubt that she had the everlasting strength and determination to protect her friends, but the tenacity to return to Zentopia was something he knew she lacked.

"I'll go back," she repeated resolutely, "so just let them go."

"Lucy," Natsu weakly protested, his heart breaking. He knew exactly what she was doing, that she was sacrificing herself for their sake.

Her gaze slowly shifted his way at the soft call of her name, and his heart cracked into even more pieces at the dead look of grim acceptance on her features. The fragile, fascinating and captivating beauty that he'd been hopelessly attracted to when he'd first caught sight of her in the rain that night three years ago was faded, and the fire in her eyes had been snuffed out. He'd never seen her look so emotionless, so _broken._

"I knew that this would happen," she gravelly admitted, though there was no sorrow on her features, only acknowledgement. "So I'll do my best to take care of things on my own."

Natsu clenched his jaw, tears of frustration gathering in his eyes at the hopelessness of the situation.

Last night, she'd told him that she was more than ready to tear the church from the ground herself, but he'd never gotten around to making her realize that she didn't have to. She didn't have to go it all on her own…not when he was there. Not when Gray, Loke, and Elfman were there, and he knew of countless others that would leap to her aid in a heartbeat.

But if she went back to that place, none of them could follow. The church would make sure of it that she never saw the light of the outside world again, he was sure, and there was probably no way for any of them to enter the church and aid her given that the apostles knew what they all looked like.

If she went back, all that they had worked for would be for naught, and despite his refusal to give up on her, they might never see one another again.

"Good thinking," Mest huffed out in response to her resolve, obviously already tired of dealing with the situation. "The quickest way to resolve these types of things is to do it on your own." He pointed a finger at the three boys, his features and voice not softening in the least, "Regardless, I still want these three locked up."

"Yes, sir."

The hands returned to Natsu's shoulders, and this time, he fought against their pull, refusing to take his eyes off of Lucy. He wasn't going to let her go that easily, and he didn't care what charges his actions earned him. He'd devoted himself to the cause, and saving Lucy had grown to mean a lot more to him than just making up for his past mistakes. If that was the only goal he'd been aiming to accomplish, then he probably would've had no problem with letting her go back of her own free will and ridding himself of his ties to the tricky situation. But he wasn't at all okay with letting her go, not because he wanted to feel like he'd done the right thing and fought for justice, but more so because he wanted to end her suffering. He cared for her, more than she could ever know.

The blonde's features didn't shift even a fraction as she stared back at him, giving him the smallest shake of her head, gently urging him to give up and let her go.

Natsu's features crumpled into a look of defeat. The girl before him bore no resemblance to the fiery, stubborn blonde he'd fallen for at first sight all those years ago. She'd been forced to become someone else, someone unrecognizable, but not any less worthy of his affection and attention.

She didn't deserve all of the tragedy and horror that'd befallen her, and now, even if she didn't want him to get involved, more than anything else he wished to set the fire in her eyes alight once more, to restore the light that'd been stolen from her.

* * *

Lucy squinted her eyes as she gazed upon the church, its white exterior glowing in the light of the midday sun.

She'd returned, though instead of feeling afraid, she didn't really feel anything at all as she stood before the place where so she'd endured years of torment. Her brief moment of freedom and reprieve had impacted her drastically, it seemed, and returning to the church felt just as dreamlike as escaping it had.

The blonde didn't even flinch as Ultear suddenly tugged the elastics from the ends of her Dutch braids upon exiting the Zentopia van behind her, the apostle lightly humming as she brushed the golden strands out to untangle them from one another, "Spiritual Father likes it best when your hair is loose. And we better find you some different clothes, too. The ones you have on now aren't very flattering."

Lucy was still wearing the oversized, gray sweatshirt Natsu had lent her, and in a way, it felt like the clothing was his last gift of good tidings as she was whisked away once more, although she knew that hadn't at all been his intentions when he'd given it to her.

She would see him again. She'd make sure of it, regardless of how hopeless the situation seemed. Declaring her determination to take down the church hadn't been a lie, and the proclamation had come from the deepest desires of her heart.

The dark haired apostle lightly gripped her wrist, "Spiritual father is waiting. Let's go."

The blonde's gaze slowly shifted to the woman, her face blank and her voice lacking any emotion as she claimed, "I can go on my own." Her hand slipped free of Ultear's, her posture impeccably firm as she started up the stairs, not an ounce of fear on her features as she entered the church once more, ready to face whatever fate had in store for her.

* * *

"This is fucking stupid," Loke ground out, pacing around the holding cell he'd been shoved into with his two friends, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"Something isn't right about this," Elfman commented suspiciously, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the stone wall. "You don't think that that church has connections here too, do you?"

Natsu pressed his knuckles harder into the center of his forehead, his hands shaking in fury. He'd sunk against one of the walls immediately after he'd been pushed beyond the bars, sliding to the floor and pulling his knees into his chest so he could prop his elbows on them. His hands were tightly clenched together and his head lowered onto them as he fought to remain calm, though it was a losing battle.

All of their work had just gone to waste, and all because of a shitty detective who was too bothered to be of any help.

What frustrated him the most was that the man wasn't technically out of line. Every lawful claim he'd made had been correct, and it irritated Natsu to no end. Regardless of the law, couldn't the detective see that Lucy had been through some shit? Shouldn't her words alone give cause for at least one visit to the church?

He clenched his fists even tighter together, lowly growling out, "We need evidence. We need something that proves those people are guilty." He finally lifted his gaze, his irises blazing with determination, "I won't stop until I find it. I'll get Lucy back…I swear."

* * *

Lucy came to a halt right after she'd entered the chapel's doors, her lips pressing into a thin line at the sight that greeted her gaze.

There were dozens of people in the room, all kneeling on the floor in rows before the pulpit, their hands clasped in front of their chests in prayer. Her father stood at the front of the room, a bit off to the side next to Zancrow and Kain. He wouldn't even so much as glance in her direction, his hands similarly held in front of his chest, allowing her a clear view of the cast that confined his right wrist.

And standing before the pulpit with one of his hands clasped around a microphone was Precht, his white suit glowing in the light of the illuminated red cross that spanned the wall behind him. A faint look of satisfaction spread across his features as he caught sight of her and Ultear upon their entrance, halting whatever sermon he'd been giving previous and shifting the topic as he purred, "Everyone, Lucy has returned to us. Come forward, dear."

Two days ago, his tone would've sent chills snaking across her frame, but she wouldn't let him get to her anymore. If she wanted to overthrow him, she'd have to be strong. So began walking down the center aisle towards him, her back still held straight and her features hardened in determination.

The congregation applauded her as she walked forward, congratulating her as if she was a soldier returned from war.

She came to a halt directly in front of the preacher, firmly holding his gaze and still standing tall. She felt Ultear's presence behind her, and she caught sight of her father and Zancrow moving towards her in her peripherals. But she didn't cast them a single glance, her attention fully devoted the white haired man before her.

"Lucy," he dictated her name delicately as if it were some precious treasure, his pleasure ridden expression still present on his features, "I was told that you willing asked to return to Zentopia. Is that true?"

The blonde immediately caught onto his schemes, knowing right away that he was trying to use her to preach again. He wanted to use her return to testify of the evil and appalling nature of the outside world, and that not even a rebellious follower like her could stand it for more than a day.

But she wouldn't let that happen. She wouldn't let him take advantage of her again to further infatuate and entice the innocent people behind her with such false teachings.

"You really think I came back because I wanted to?" she evenly surmised, tilting her head a fraction and quirking a single brow. Her tone adopted a bit of a bite, her voice growing louder as she hissed, "I came back to save my mom. It wasn't grace or salvation that coerced me into submission, and the real evil isn't the outside world. It's _you_."

Gasps and discontent murmuring filled the room behind her following her proclamation, but she didn't let it deter her. She still held her head high, her jaw clenched as she kept her gaze fastened to the preacher before her.

Precht raised his hand to silence the congregation as he began taking slow steps towards her, the mic still held to his mouth so everyone gathered could hear as he whispered, "Lucy, it seems that you are mistaken. Your feelings of aversion have spawned from the seedlings of the devil that you have allowed to fester in your heart."

"I'm sick of hearing you talk about the devil," she snarled at him before turning to face the kneeling crowd behind her, "You all need to wake up. You've given him your homes, your land, your money…you've given _everything_! And what's become of it? Nothing! The only thing this place has done for you is cast you into slavery. You work all day, and receive no reward. You really think that that's salvation?"

She was amazed that no one had stepped forward to stop her, even though her father and the church's apostles were standing close by. She was planning on taking full advantage of that fact though while it was true, continuing on with her tirade even though several of congregation were staring at her with the utmost horror in their eyes. If she could leave an impression on just a few and save them from this place, then that would be enough for her.

"Go home to your families! Cherish the things that matter in this life instead of throwing yourselves away for the sake of guaranteeing your salvation in the next. Don't let yourselves be fooled any longer, and get out of this place!"

She shrieked as fingers threaded through her hair from behind, clamping down on her golden strands and yanking her head backwards. Her hands immediately flew to the wrist of her assailant, and she wasn't surprised to find that it was Precht, the preacher appearing in her peripherals and keeping a tight grip on her hair as he hissed to the congregation, "Do you all see it? _This_ is true evil. I can no longer watch idly as Lucy's soul dies. We must all stand together, and see her through prayer's cleansing fire."

"You're insane!" the blonde screeched in his face, beginning to struggle in his grasp.

He shoved her head forward before jerking her backwards once again and the blonde whimpered as her strands were tugged, feeling like they may be yanked free of her scalp.

Precht curled his arm inwards so that she was facing him, his voice low as he gravelly purred, "Lucy…you are not the pure soul that we used to know. Your spirit has been tainted, twisted into an _abomination_." To accent his words, he shoved her away from him, sending her tumbling towards Zancrow. The blond apostle caught her elbows, tugging her arms behind her and holding her hostage.

"You're right!"

Lucy's gaze shifted to her father, who'd sunk to his knees before the preacher, not at all bothered by the fact that the old man had obviously caused her pain.

His eyes were wide and misty as he professed, "I can hardly recognize my daughter anymore!"

"Although you may look the same," Precht quickly raked his gaze up and down her body, and the blonde was silently grateful that she was still wearing Natsu's sweatshirt, her frame concealed by its baggy fabric, "your soul has been taken captive by the devil."

"Dear Almighty, please save my daughter!"

"You have nothing to fear," the preacher slid his gaze briefly to Jude before looking over the rest of his congregation, "with our divine aid, Lucy will conquer the evil that threatens to the tear her apart."

"You're right," Lucy hissed, letting out a bitter chuckle. "I will conquer evil. You'll lose _everything_."

Precht's lips quirked, almost as if he was pleased to hear her utter such a thing. "How interesting," he hummed deep in his throat, turning from the blonde to face Ultear, "There was a time when Apostle Milkovich's foster daughter said the very same thing to me."

Ultear's face went blank as the topic shifted, her lips falling open a fraction as she numbly stared back at the preacher.

"The girl ended her own life only five years ago, and I had wondered why our Almighty would discharge such a tragedy on my dear apostle." He faced his congregation, projecting his voice outwards, "But now I understand. Our Almighty was preparing her to help Lucy, to save her poor soul from the evil that threatens to consume it." He suddenly whipped to face the apostle once more, "Do you believe it?"

Ulteara's eyes were still wide as he held the mic out to her, though she still somehow conjured up enough of her voice to breathily whisper, "I…I do. I'll do everything I can to make Lucy our Spiritual Mother."

Zancrow shoved Lucy to her knees and followed her to the floor shortly after, his hands pressing down heavily on one of her shoulders and keeping her on her knees. Ultear kneeled on her other side and placed her hands similarly, both bowing their heads.

Precht's hand came to rest heavily on top of her head, his voice gruff as he proclaimed, "I command you, devil, in the name of our divine Almighty, leave our dear Lucy's body at once!" His hand tightened on her skull just as Ultear and Zancrow each began using one of their hands to beat at her back, the preacher's voice growing louder as he commanded the congregation, "Let us all pray in unison for Lucy's poor soul!"

All at once, everyone in the crowd began to move, some falling forward and mumbling incoherent prayers while others' bodies contorted into strange positions as they screamed for the grace of their God.

Precht used his grip on the blonde's skull to send her upper body tumbling forward, her forearms making painful contact with the hard, cold stone of the ground as she failed to catch herself properly. Zancrow and Ultear now beat at her back with both hands, not an ounce of restraint in their blows.

The pain brought tears to Lucy's eyes, but she wouldn't allow herself to cry, gritting her teeth to hold it all in as the hits continued to rain down on her back. It was just like when her father had nearly beat her in the parking of lot of the police station a few nights ago, although this time, she wouldn't let herself pass out. She wanted to maintain her determination with strength, no matter how fuzzy and disconnected her mind was becoming.

Jude was suddenly kneeling before her, bending forward to press his forehead to the ground as he gripped her hands, almost like he thought he was providing her with some form of comfort.

Her body was starting to feel hot and heavy the longer her beating went on, her vision going blurry and the rest of her senses beginning to short circuit. She knew that Precht was still shouting to be heard above all of his followers' prayers, but she couldn't make out his words over the rest of the noise in the room, nor over the pounding of her own head.

One pair of hands slowly ceased their beating on her back, and despite all of the chaos around her, Lucy's eyes widened as she heard a sharp intake of breath on her left, the person there sounding like they were trying to conceal their sobbing. And sure enough, only moments later a tear pattered to the cold floor beside her head, the droplet splattering across the stone.

The blonde's eyes widened a fraction as she realized that Ultear was crying.

* * *

"Loke!"

The orange haired playboy jumped at the sudden shriek of his name, curiously standing from where he'd been seated on the ground between Natsu and Elfman and cautiously venturing closer to the bars.

He regretted his actions as a pair of hands shot through them, fingers roughly pinching both of his cheeks and tugging on his flesh. His eyes widened at the fury on his older brother's features, and he knew that death was most certainly quickly approaching.

"What did I tell you, you bastard! I told you to study hard and get into college. Now look what you've got yourself into!"

"Laxus, Laxus!" Loke haughtily protested, his hands shooting to wrap around his brother's wrists and save his face from being torn apart, "You're gonna kill me!"

"Elfman!" Mira was soon appearing behind her partner, worry etched onto her features as she caught sight of her little brother on the other side of the bars.

"Big brother Elf!" Lisanna was right behind her sister, a bag of her brother's favorite snacks in her arms.

Laxus' fingers were still tightly pinching his little brother's cheeks, "My anger's gonna end up killing me one day and it'll be your fault, you little shit!"

"That's enough, Sergeant Dreyar."

Mira turned over her shoulder at the new voice, her hand coming to her temple in a salute as she caught sight of Mest, greeting her superior, "Chief."

"God, this is embarrassing," Laxus huffed out, finally releasing his brother, and shoving him back a bit as he did so, before turning to face his superior.

Natsu still sat quietly in the corner of the cell that was furthest from the bars, looking over his friends' three relatives as they began to discuss the terms of their release. As he watched them, his heart began to sink, a feeling of abandonment weighing down on him.

No one had come for him. No one was on the other side of the bars arguing for his freedom.

He'd decided long ago that he didn't want Zeref's help anymore, and that he'd face the consequences of his decisions head on without his brother's powers scaring others into pardoning him. But now that a time had finally come where he was truly in trouble and without any help at all, he felt more alone than he ever had before, and with a heavy heart, he grimly realized that maybe this was what Gray had felt like all along, and what a horrible feeling it was.

* * *

"Stop it!"

Lucy's heart dropped at the sudden shriek, and her eyes widened even further as she looked up to see her mother come flying through the doors of the chapel.

Everyone was silent as the blond woman charged forward, grabbing hold of Zancrow's shoulders and shoving him off her daughter, "Don't touch her!" Layla fell to her knees beside the girl, wrapping her arms around her and protectively tucking her head into her chest, "Stop hurting her!"

"Mom?" Lucy hopefully mumbled, finally feeling a few tears slip free. She figured it was okay to cry now, because they weren't tears of weakness or fear but tears of relief. Not only was her still alive, but she was lucid, and very obviously aware of what was happening. Something must've happened over the short time she'd been away, something that had made Layla finally come back to herself.

The woman's gaze whipped to her wide-eyed, aghast husband, shrilly pleading, "Dear, you have to help us! They're hurting Lucy! They're hurting our baby!"

"It seems that the evil which was clinging to Lucy," Precht whispered lowly into his microphone, his expression not having even flinched at the sudden appearance of the Heartfilia woman, "has spread to her mother now, too."

The chapel was filled with noise once more, both the wordless muttering of the congregation and the shrieks of those who were on the floor at the front of the chapel.

Jude clutched onto Layla's shoulders, yanking her away from their daughter and shrieking into her face with wide eyes, not seeing his wife, but seeing the evil he believed was possessing of her, "You devil! Stop tormenting my family!"

"Dad, stop!" Lucy clawed at the floor to get to her parents, but Zancrow had taken hold of her once more, looping his arms around her torso and pulling her against his chest, squeezing her as hard as he could, his grip sure to leave bruises.

Layla stared up at her husband with wide eyes, not recognizing the man before her.

"Leave my wife's body at once!"

Lucy shrieked as her father slapped her mother across the face, the blonde woman crumpling to the floor with the force of the blow, "Mom!" Zancrow held her firm even as she blindly scratched at him, her gaze whipping to her father, "Stop it!"

Jude gripping his wife's shoulders once more and peeled her frame from the floor, immune to the terror on her features as he bellowed, "First, you stole my son! Now, you try to steal my daughter and wife?!" He threw her to the floor once more, beginning to beat at her back like Zancrow and Ultear had done to his daughter only moments ago.

Lucy threw her head backwards into Zancrow's face, ignoring the brief feeling of satisfaction that rushed through her as she heard his pained squawk. The moment his hold on her began to loosen she dove forward, throwing her upper body over her mother's as her father's blows continued to rain down. Jude didn't even flinch as his victim changed, still bringing his fist down without restraint again and again, ignoring the sounds of his daughter's shrieks echoing throughout the chapel.

* * *

"Natsu."

A bitter taste immediately filled the salmon haired boy's mouth at the voice that called his name, his eyes stone cold with hatred as he lifted his gaze to the woman standing the on the other side of the bars.

He was alone in the holding cell now, Loke and Elfman having been taken home by their respective relatives. Just when he'd been wondering if he'd ever be free, _she_ had come. Dimaria, his brother's malicious blonde secretary.

"Let's go," she ordered monotonously, her features blank. "Your brother's waiting for you."

Natsu dropped his head with a bitter chuckle, sourly remarking to himself, "If he wants to see me, couldn't he have come himself?"

"The governor's a busy person," Dimaria replied flatly. "He can't just take time out of his schedule for every small issue that arises."

"'Small issue?'" the salmon haired boy spitefully repeated. "His little brother's arrest is a _small issue_?"

Dimaria didn't bother with responding, her voice cold and firm as she ground out once more, "The governor's waiting."

Natsu clenched his jaw, "Then he can sit and rot while he's waiting for me. I don't want to see him."

"If you make him mad, he'll see to it that you never this cell again," the blonde secretary spat back, "regardless of the fact that you're his little brother."

The salmon haired boy almost said to hell with it just to spite his brother. Even if it was at his own expense, he wanted to make Zeref suffer the consequences of his past decisions. What the governor had done to Gray had completely shredded Natsu's trust in him, and the salmon haired boy wanted his brother to regret that choice for the rest of his life.

But he swallowed the words at the last second as a thought came to mind. This was probably the only chance at freedom he'd get.

He couldn't forget why he was in this cell in the first place, and that he'd failed to keep one of his own promises.

Lucy had been dragged back to that godforsaken cult, and she was probably already suffering the consequences of running away.

He couldn't abandon her. He'd pledged himself to making up for his past mistakes, and he'd fully devoted himself to the cause, refusing to let those freaks force her into such horrifying, disgusting things.

So he stood and made ready to follow Dimaria out of the station as the cell door was unlocked, complying not for his brother's sake, but for Lucy's.

He'd save her, even if it killed him.

* * *

Lucy whimpered as her father tossed her into one of the prayer rooms in the church's basement, hissing through clenched teeth as her back ached with her movements.

Jude stared down at her crumpled form with a look of utmost hatred, his eyes cold as he ground out, "You must repent of your filthy sins if you want to receive salvation. Becoming Spiritual Mother is the only way our family can be reunited with Sting and board the Ship of Salvation together."

The blonde held back a shriek as she pushed her upper body off of the floor, wrapping an arm around her middle as she shifted to glare at her father over her shoulder with angry tears in her eyes, her voice hoarse as she breathed out, "I want to be with Sting again more than anyone. But…but that's not going to happen if we stay here." Her voice grew harsher as she hissed, "You're just being fooled by their dirty tricks and lies."

His lips twitched, almost as if in a snarl, "You will not be allowed to leave this room until you've repented, and your soul has been cleansed by the Almighty's divine fire. Pray diligently, Lucy, and seek His mercy. You'll be needing it."

Her arm gave out on her and she collapsed back to the floor with a whimper as the door slammed shut behind him, and the room was cloaked in darkness save for the glowing red cross mounted on the wall.

* * *

 **AN**

 **Yeah, Lucy's already been taken back to Zentopia...We're kind of entering the end game though, so Natsu will really start to play the 'hero' role and the plans to take down the cult will officially begin to unfold! And a new ally is gained in the next chapter, as well~**

 **Funfact: Nearly every chapter in this story is named after a song. Thus far, all except but 1, 3, 4, and 9 are, and most of the coming chapters have song inspired titles. For most, I picked the titles because the name fit the events of the chapter, but also in some cases, because I felt like the vibe of the song fit the tone of the chapter, too. For this chapter, the song is Kettering by The Antlers. The lyrics about a cancer patient and a doctor, so obviously they don't really match up with this story, but I felt like the vibe of the song fit Natsu's and Lucy's feelings as they separate once more, and also Lucy's feelings as she returns to Zentopia. Check it out if you feel so inclined ;)**

 **As always, thanks for reading! And a special thank you to my lovely followers and reviewers!**

 **See you next Friday!**


	13. Chapter 13: Clouding of Consciousness

**Chapter Thirteen**

 **Clouding of Consciousness**

"What happened?! Why did she go back?!"

Natsu buried his face in his hands as Gray's voice echoed around the nearly empty bar, drawing the attention of the brunette waitress at the counter. The salmon haired boy really wasn't in the mood to hear his best friend's chastisement since he'd been internally beating himself up about what had happened all night. It'd been stupid of him to think he could trust law enforcement to take care of the issue, and hadn't Gray warned him about how people with power manipulated things to be in their favor? The cult had to have some sort of connection to the people in the station, he was sure. Otherwise, that shit detective would've heeded the implications of Lucy's story.

Natsu supposed he'd been so confident because things had never gone wrong for him before. He'd always had Zeref to get him out of trouble and clean up things, so failure was a foreign concept.

He was painfully familiar with the feeling of defeat now though, and he absolutely hated it.

He sighed deep in his throat and ran a hand through his salmon locks, his voice heavy as he recounted a small detail of what had happened in the station, "Lucy…she said she already knew that things would turn out like this." He clenched his jaw as he hissed, "That fucking cult even has control over the police."

Gray shoved himself back from the table in frustration, his focus never staying in one place for too long, his mind obviously running wild trying to think of what to do next.

However, Natsu had already had the time to think things over, and he'd resolved to stick to the path he'd chosen, "I'm gonna do whatever I can on my own."

"And what do you think you can do against an entire fucking cult?" the raven haired boy spat back.

"I…" Natsu started hesitantly, already anticipating his rival's unpleasant reaction, "…I asked my brother for help."

Gray chuckled bitterly to himself before he ground out, "I don't trust Zeref. Or anyone else for that matter."

Natsu's brows furrowed in remorse as he thought over the event that was obviously on Gray's mind too, "Look…He's not happy with how I've been acting, so instead of just promising he'd help me like he did with you…he asked me for something in return. We made a deal. One that he can't go back on."

The salmon haired boy thought that his best friend might ask about what he'd sacrificed to earn his brother's aid, but Gray said nothing on the matter, his lips still pressed tightly together in fury.

"I'll do things my own way too, then," the raven haired boy suddenly stood, shoving himself away from the table and charging towards the door of the bar.

"Where are you going?" Natsu called after him, standing from his bench and whipping around to face his best friend, ready to bolt after and tackle him if the raven haired boy didn't stop.

But Gray did, slowly turning back around to face his rival, "We always say that it's best to follow our gut instincts, but I think it's time we start using our heads for once."

The salmon haired boy closed the distance between them, his brows furrowed as he tried to figure out what his rival was thinking. They'd always had a knack for understanding one another without any words having to be said, but now he was finding that their three years apart had rid him of that ability, and Gray's thoughts remained a mystery to him, "What are you thinking of doing, snowflake?"

"Those people…" Gray hissed out, the slightest traces of anticipation in his voice, "…they may know what you, Loke, and Elfman look like, but they've never seen me. I want to check that place out for myself."

"Are you fucking insane?!" Natsu vehemently snapped, his fist flinching at his side as he fought to hold back the instinctive need to punch the raven haired boy for his stupidity. "They're a fucking cult! I ain't letting you go in there on your own!"

"Lucy's in there on her own."

The salmon haired boy's drive deflated at that statement, the grim reminder of his failure to save the blonde settling heavily on his chest once more. The weight had never left entirely, but it'd at least been momentarily forgotten during their short spat. It was back full force now though, and the possibilities of what was happening to Lucy violently tore their way through his head again, the images they left behind haunting his every thought.

"Don't you get it, flamebrain?" Gray glowered, his voice heavy, but still determined. "One of us needs to know that place inside and out in order to help her. They all know your guys' faces now, so I'm the only one that can do it. Whether you want to or not, you have to let me go."

Natsu's focus fell to the floor, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. He felt exactly like he had three years ago when Gray had been taken to prison, the same helplessness and frustration raging in his chest once more. In his mind, it was like he was sending his best friend away to suffer again, and he couldn't do a thing to stop it or lighten the load on his friend's shoulders.

But Gray was right. If they wanted to save Lucy, it was something that had to be done.

* * *

 _Lucy swallowed in a vain attempt to ease the dry soreness of her throat, letting out a whimper as the slight shift in her breathing to perform the action caused a cough to splutter free of her chest. Her bruised back shifted against the wall and she hissed in pain, the abused flesh still tender and aching with even the slightest movements. Leaning back against the wall probably hadn't been the best idea on her part, but laying in any position that didn't put some sort of pressure on her back made it hard to breath, and now, she lacked the energy to move herself from her collapsed state._

 _She didn't know how long she'd been locked in the prayer room, but it had to have been at least a few days by now. She'd had only the tiniest bit of food and water in that time, her captors refusing to giving her any more than what was absolutely necessary while she continued to be disobedient. They'd told her countless times that if she just memorized the Prayer of Salvation, she'd be allowed to leave. They'd even opened the Zentopia book of scripture to the appropriate page and set it in the corner of the room for her, under the light of the glowing red cross mounted on the wall._

 _But still she sat unmoving, her resilience in her defiance costing her dearly. She'd never felt so weak, so helpless. Her physical strength was completely gone, her resolve the only thing remaining._

 _The door slowly creaked open, and her head lulled against the wall as she turned to see who had come to insistently plead with her this time, expecting Ultear or her father since they were her usual tormentors._

 _But whoever it was didn't come in right away, remaining just beyond the cracked door._

 _The blonde's eyes started at their feet, her focus slowly dragging up their frame, confusion wracking her brain when she realized that they were wearing the boys' version of her old high school's uniform, her heart nearly stopping when her focus reached their face. Their features undeniably resembled her own, and their blonde hair was a perfect match._

 _It was Sting._

 _She jolted against the wall, wanting to shoot to her feet and tackle her twin, but finding that her body was far too weak to do so at the moment. So instead, she simply stared up at with wide, watery eyes, her voice hoarse from disuse and dehydration as she breathed, "…Sting?"_

 _He gazed back down at her with pain in a gaze, but a comforting smile still upon his features, his voice light as he called in return, "Lucy."_

" _Is…is that really you?" she choked out, a few tears sliding down her cheeks._

" _I'm so sorry, Lucy," he quietly quivered out._

 _Lucy swallowed heavily and fought to put some life and strength back into her expression despite the tears still running down her cheeks as she insisted, "I'm fine."_

 _Her words only seemed to make him more pained, his brows furrowed and expression scrunched as he finally slipped through the door to crouch in front of her collapsed frame. He gently took one of her limp hands from her side, the one Natsu had rewrapped for her, cradling it softly between his own, "Lucy...I know that you can get through this. You're stronger. Stronger than I could've ever hoped to be. I know you can do it, so please, don't stop fighting."_

 _Her eyes stung with even more tears, and they cascaded down her cheeks as she nodded her head with all of the enthusiasm she could muster, her voice choked, "Okay. I won't stop fighting…I…I promise I'll get out of here, Sting. I promise."_

 _He nodded his head, his own eyes glassy, "Good."_

 _He tightened his grip on her hand, and she did the same, hanging onto her twin like her life depended on it._

Lucy startled from her place against the wall, inhaling sharply as her brain shot her consciousness out of her dream and back into reality. Her tired eyes slowly peeled open and exhaustedly swiveled about the room, landing first on her own hand, which was stretched into the empty space before her, to where her twin had been standing.

But now, there was no one before her, her figure the only one illuminated by the red cross on the wall.

Her tears seemed to follow her into the waking world, sliding down her cheeks as she curled her fingers in and pulled her fist tight to her chest, her twin's name slipping from her lips as she cradled the hand he'd held.

* * *

Gray cleared his throat as he slid a pair of Loke's glasses onto his face, hitching his backpack up further onto his shoulders and gripping the part of the straps that ran just under his collarbone as he strode forward into the plaza. He'd swapped out his usually dark apparel for more colorful, but till rather neutral tones in an attempt to look more approachable. He also forced his usually cold features to soften and even look somewhat cheerful, even though the feeling that came along with the act kind of made him want to vomit.

Natsu, Loke, and Elfman were watching him through the window of the second floor of the billiard hall where they'd wasted many hours of their youth, and the salmon haired boy had been the one to alert him that _they_ were here.

He and his friends were incredibly lucky that those from Zentopia had returned to the plaza to advertise their church once more, and so soon as well. It'd only been two days since Lucy had been taken back to the church, and given the blonde's importance to them and her sudden disappearance and unexpected return, the group of four had figured that it would be quite some time before the church was back to business as usual.

They were wrong, but Natsu and Gray were grateful for it, because the sooner the raven haired boy could get into the cult the sooner they could get Lucy out. Of course, the salmon haired boy was still entirely unhappy with letting his best friend venture into Zentopia, but he was begrudgingly doing all he could to help nevertheless, knowing there was no way he could change his rival's mind.

Gray struggled to find the right pace as he strolled through the plaza, wanting to look natural but also trying to go slow so as to get noticed by one of the women wandering around the plaza, each in knee-length or longer skirts and carting around a clipboard as they politely stopped random passerby to converse with them.

The raven haired boy grew anxious as he neared the end of the plaza and still it didn't seem like any of them had so much as even glanced his way.

Thinking fast, he crouched down to fiddle with the laces of his sneaker, placing himself in a stagnant position near one of the cultists, a dark haired woman with lips painted a shade of crimson that shone like blood in contrast with her pale skin. He could just barely hear her conversation over the bustle of the plaza, and he knew his chance had come when the man she'd been talking to politely declined her message.

"Excuse me."

Still kneeling on one knee, he glanced over his shoulder at the call, noting with satisfaction that luck seemed to be on his side for once and his act of tying his shoe had worked.

The dark haired woman was standing just behind him, a shorter girl with vibrant blue hair that looked to be somewhat around his age standing at her side with a stack of papers cradled in her grasp.

Gray fought to keep his surprise from showing in his expression as he looked over the pair, particularly the younger girl. The woman was someone he could easily picture amongst the members of a cult despite her pleasant façade, but the blue haired girl was a different story entirely. Someone that radiated such genuine kindness like she did certainly didn't seem to belong to a place as horrid and disturbing as Lucy had described to him four days prior.

The woman offered him a warm smile as he straightened himself out to face her properly, her tone light as she inquired, "Could you spare us a moment of your time? We'd like you to fill out this survey."

Gray forced himself to sound hesitant, feeding some of his genuine doubt about the surety of his plans to enter the cult into his voice as he gave them a meek grin in order to avoid seeming suspicious for agreeing right away, "I…I'm not so sure. My mom wants me home for dinner, so…"

The blue haired girl gave him a bright grin, "They're really easy questions. I promise, it'll only take a minute."

* * *

Gray purposefully shifted his arm as he began filling out the survey, knocking his elbow against the cup of hot chocolate the blue haired girl had set on the table beside him. He fought to restrain a habitual curse when the liquid sprayed across the back of his hand, the drink far hotter than he'd been anticipating.

He'd resolved that the best way to earn the trust of the people of Zentopia was to make them think he was somewhat stupid, clumsy, and incapable. He'd tried to be as endearing as he could manage even though he definitely had no practice in the act, that way, he'd earn their trust fast and they'd never see his inevitable betrayal. It was undoubtedly going to be tough to keep up the act given the persona he'd chosen for himself, but he'd make sure to do everything he could since it was for Lucy's sake, even it meant burning his fingers off.

The blue haired girl practically dove for a handful of napkins before pressing them against the back of his hand to soak up the spilled the liquid.

"It's alright," the raven haired boy stole the bundle of already soaked napkins from her grasp, giving her his best attempt at a flustered smile, "I got it."

The dark haired woman, who'd introduced herself to him as Apostle Milkovich as she'd taken a seat across from him at the umbrella-shaded table on the side of the plaza, gave him a soft smile, "Gray, you seem to have such a pure heart."

He glanced up at her at the comment, genuinely unsure of himself and not just trying to stay in his character as he tentatively responded, "Oh, uh…thanks…I guess."

"Do you think that this world will be eternal?"

Gray stared at her in silence for a moment, both in contemplation and in shock. She sure knew how to get straight to business considering religion had had absolutely nothing to do with their conversation thus far, and if she was always this straight forward about preaching, he had wonder how successful her missionary outings were considering the hard-headedness of the people of today's world.

He didn't see any reason why he shouldn't be truthful in his responses in this case, even if he was pretending to someone that clearly wasn't anything like himself. He made sure to talk a bit higher and a lot less rough than he normally did as he answered, "They say that nothing is eternal."

The apostle's lips quirked a fraction, obviously pleased to note that he didn't seem to be at all put off by her approaches, "Then, what if someone was willing to share the secret of eternal life with you? How would you feel?"

Gray feigned surprise and awe, "Is there such a thing?"

"Of course," she pleasantly affirmed. "Us crossing paths like this wasn't mere coincidence. It was fate, and it means that you are candidate to be one of the chosen."

"'The chosen?'" Gray softly repeated.

The blue haired girl sitting at the apostle's side hummed in agreement, seeming incredibly happy with all that was being said, "The chosen are those who will receive the secret of eternal life. It may not seem like this world is going to end any time soon because people are so preoccupied with the present, but the apocalypse is coming. We're sure of it."

"That's why we need to be prepared," the apostle took over the task of preaching, staring at the raven haired boy earnestly as she professed, "When the end comes, only the chosen will be able to board the Ship of Salvation."

"'Ship of Salvation?' I've never heard of it…"

The dark haired woman's lips quirked once more, "Would you like to see it for yourself, then?"

* * *

"Geez, what's taking him so long?"

Natsu rolled his eyes at Loke's grumbling, his focus quickly snapping back to table that rested in the plaza below, his gaze narrowing as he stared at the conversing trio seated there, "That lady probably meets people like this all the time, so she'd be able to tell right away if something was off. Gray's just being careful."

The salmon haired boy tuned his two companions out as they started to bicker about something senseless, folding his arms on top of the window sill and resting his head on them as he continued to stare at best friend and the two females.

He still hated Gray's idea, and watching it be carried out right before his eyes while he couldn't do a thing to stop it was infuriating him to no end. And if it worked, Gray would be whisked away to Zentopia, making the ultimate sacrifice to get the information they needed.

And although such information would be pivotal in their scheming, Natsu still hated every second he spent thinking about Gray in that cult. They'd already taken Lucy away, and while he'd resolved to save her no matter what it took, there was still the startling possibility that he might never see her again. The chances of that happening had already internally torn him up, and risking having the same thing happen with Gray was like pouring salt in the wounds.

Even worse was Natsu's own way of freeing Lucy, and the deal he had made with Zeref had been weighing heavily on his mind for the past two days nonstop.

Upon asking for help, Zeref had told him that he'd see what he could do, and he'd made Natsu vow that as soon as Lucy was free, he'd to go back to Crocus and finish his pre-schooling so he could get into law school. Obeying the details of their deal meant that Natsu would likely never see Magnolia again given his brother's wishes to move to the capital in order to reach greater political heights, and coincidentally, the salmon haired boy would be miles and miles and miles away from his friends, likely to never see them again. He was loath to leave Lucy behind like that after he'd just set her free, but if it meant that she could live a proper life, far away from the people who had captured her, then it didn't matter he had to sacrifice, even if it was a chance at finally seeing what could become of their relationship.

He hadn't told any of his friends yet, knowing that they'd immediately demand he break off the deal and set Lucy free by their own means. But with the way things were going, he didn't know if that was possible. They were still only a group of friends who were just barely becoming adults, and Natsu was discovering that all of the methods he'd relied on previously wouldn't work anymore. Now that the safety net of public school had disappeared, he was facing the cruelty of the world, and Zeref was a part of that merciless world. The fact that they were brothers didn't seem to matter to the governor, and he'd treated the salmon haired boy just like any other business associate, claiming that since he was a politician, he gave nothing for free.

Sudden movement at the table snapped Natsu out of his thoughts, his eyes following Gray and the two women as they stood, heading towards the Zentopia van that'd been parked on the side of the plaza. The salmon haired boy's lips pressed into a grim line as the side door slid open, and not sparring a second, Gray followed the small blue haired girl inside.

"He's got guts…" Loke admonished with a sigh. "He got in that van without a moment of hesitation, even though he knows what kind of place he's headed to."

"He's always been like that," Natsu grumbled in discontent, feeling like he was getting left behind as Gray went to fight his battles for him. _He'd_ been the one to find out about where Lucy was and devote their group to saving her, not Gray. And _he'd_ been the one to drag the raven haired boy into the plan's he'd already made, but now, Gray was rushing off to fulfill his own plans, and rather recklessly at that.

"He'll...he'll be okay, right?" the salmon haired boy mumbled, a bit of doubt mixing in with the frustration that was surging through his veins. They hadn't had much time to prepare, but regardless, Natsu wasn't so sure that having more time would've been much help in the first place. They knew nothing about the cult other than what Lucy had told them, which wasn't much given her obvious panic and sorrow at recalling the events she'd endured. None of them had felt the need to pressure her into telling them more during the brief time they'd had with her, though Natsu knew that that decision had cost them now.

"Gray'll be just fine," Elfman heartily professed. "He's man, after all."

Natsu didn't have to look to know that Loke was rolling his eyes, and he had no doubt that their bickering would quickly start again.

But he paid them no more mind, his thoughts back on his rival and the girl he'd allowed to be stolen away, the heavy weight in chest growing stronger.

He hated feeling useless.

Natsu shoved himself away from the window sill in one final act of frustration as the van drove off, his raven haired rival heading into the situation almost completely blind, entirely unaware of what would greet him once he got to the church in the mountains.

Now, all they could do was wait.

* * *

Lucy stared blankly at the man seated on the floor across from her as he gently blew on a spoonful of porridge, his white suit glowing especially bright in the candles he'd lit upon entered the room. She didn't have enough energy to glare at him as fiercely as she would've liked, and she could barely muster the will to keep her eyes open.

Precht cupped his hand beneath the spoon as he held it out towards her, his voice low, "Fighting off the demons has weakened your body. You should eat to replenish your strength."

She ignored his first sentence, but the second was reminiscent of the very thoughts that'd been running through her own head since her dream of Sting. She'd thought of her promise with Natsu, her vow that she'd tear Zentopia from the ground herself. Outright defiance was clearly getting her nowhere, her refusal to adhere bringing her more harm than progress. Keeping this up would get her killed before she got anywhere else, and death wasn't the kind of freedom she desired.

She wanted to live, to return to life beyond the walls of Zentopia and flourish in the world she'd been deprived of. She wanted to see her friends again, the four boys who had saved her, and reassure them that all they'd done for her hadn't been for naught. Even if she'd eventually wound up back in the hands of her captors, her brief time with them had reignited her drive and proved to her that were still people out there that cared for her.

In particular, those hours she'd spent with Natsu had given her new motivation, the salmon haired boy's desire to know and understand everything about her a foreign, but not unwelcome feeling. It'd been a long time since anyone had shown any consideration for her feelings, and Natsu hadn't only ventured for her thoughts, but provided her with food, clothes, shelter, and new wrappings for her hand, too. She didn't think she deserved such devotion with the way she'd shoved him away from her after Sting's death all those years ago, but she was eternally grateful for his loyalty, no matter how misplaced it was in her eyes.

Now, she wasn't just fighting to get out for her own sake, but for the sake of the salmon haired boy and his friends, too. They'd fought for her, and that meant they cared, so she wouldn't let them down.

No matter how much it killed her inside, she'd resolved that the only way to escape her forced life of devotion to the preacher was to give in, at least for a little while, and do everything he wanted. That way, she could be rid of this damned room, and able to gather the strength to take down the evil that had enshrouded her.

As Precht held the spoon out towards her more, Lucy slowly leaned forward, not taking her eyes off of the preacher's face as she slowly opened her mouth and closed her lips around the spoon.

"You're doing very well," he purred with a sick look of satisfaction on his features as he gently pulled the spoon from her mouth, praising her like an owner would praise their pet during training. "Now, my dear Lucy, recite the Prayer of Salvation for me."

The blonde's focus swam with tears, though the rest of her expression remained the same, her exhaustion ever apparent in the dark circles hanging beneath her eyes as she began recitation of the holy scripture in a hoarse, breathy voice, "'You are the King of our paradise…our creator…and the absolute true love. I confess all of my sins to you, and give you…my everything…Dear Almighty, allow me to bask in the light of your divinity. With my utmost gratitude, I will serve you…and my Spiritual Father.'" The tears finally slipped free of her eyelids, pouring down her cheeks in two thin streams. She felt like she might vomit and pass out all at once, but still she pressed on, her mental will stronger than that of her body, "I give you my whole heart…my love…and my life.'"

Precht smiled warmly and proudly, humming to himself in pleasure as he rested a palm on her cheek, swiping his thumb across her skin to rid it of her tears.

Lucy swallowed heavily to keep down the bile, disgusted with both feeling of his touch on her skin and herself as she struggled to profess Zentopia's most common line of devotion, her voice choked as she avowed, "'Our wishes…be fulfilled.'"

* * *

Gray fisted his hands on top of his knees, his joints aching with how long his legs had been scrunched up beneath his weight. He couldn't understand why the chapel had no pews, nor why everyone was made to kneel before the stand at the front of the room as the apostle he'd met earlier preached, his position making him too uncomfortable to pay much attention to her sermon. He was surrounded by a group of young adults just like him, those that had been recruited by the missionaries in the plaza earlier today. Other than him and the small group of seven, no one seemed to mind kneeling on the floor for as long as they had been, and that made Gray wonder what exactly went on during their worship meetings.

One thing that was clear to him though was that he was most definitely invited back to the service tomorrow. Apostle Milkovich had made that perfectly clear on their way to the church, professing that since they had agreed to come to the church in the first place, they certainly must be a few of 'the chosen.'

During his short time at Zentopia, Gray had realized that their preaching relied heavily on enticement, and the reason why Jude Heartfilia had been drawn to Zentopia became clearer to him.

If the raven haired boy had set up the timeline correctly in his head, then the Heartfilias must have joined the cult shortly after what had happened to their son, and having been through a similar loss, with both his mother and grandmother, he could somewhat understand what drove the family to do such a thing. Zentopia's promises were admittedly alluring, especially to those who were too caught up in their sorrows to see past the deception. Their targeting of those who were suffering made the cult all the more sinister in Gray's eyes, and keeping his true emotions restrained was growing more difficult the longer he stayed.

Everyone here was just so overwhelmingly happy, and their obliviousness to the truth made him want to sock them all in the face.

There was another thing, too, that was driving him a bit crazy. He'd been given a tour of nearly every building on the church's grounds, including their hospital and living quarters, and he hadn't caught even the slightest trace of Lucy, nor caught sight of anyone that even slightly resembled her enough to be her parents.

It was as if they'd never been there to begin with, and for the briefest of moments, he wondered if he'd somehow wound up at the wrong place.

But he trusted the blonde, regardless of how little time he'd known her, and there was just this vibe about the church that sent shivers down his spine. Everyone and everything was overwhelmingly positive, and sickeningly so, too. Not to mention the freaky, illuminant red crosses that were mounted on nearly every wall and door he'd seen. The one that spanned the entirety of the wall behind the stand in the chapel was particularly eerie, its crimson brilliance slightly muted by the sheer white curtains that'd been drawn in front of the structure.

He jolted out of his thoughts when a piano suddenly began to play, and he blearily realized that the members of the congregation were preparing to sing a hymn, one that heartily declared their love for the Almighty.

He fisted his hands even tighter atop his knees as their voice began to sing in unison, his lips pressing into a grim line.

There was a sinister feel about this place, and despite his bravery about plunging into its depths, he wanted out of it now more than anything, not only to tell his friends about what he'd discovered, but for his own sake too, his heart never calming whilst he stood in the church's walls.

* * *

A heavy sigh slipped through Gray's lips as he let his backpack slide from his shoulders, the bench of their usual table at the Fairy Tail bar creaking as he plopped himself down beside Elfman.

Natsu wasted no time in getting to the chase, despite his friend's obvious exhaustion, "So, what'd ya find? Did you see Lucy?"

The raven haired boy solemnly shook his head, tiredly rubbing at his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"Does that mean she's locked up?" Loke asked tentatively, wary of the short-fused pinkette seated next to him. "Did…did you see anything suspicious?"

"That's the thing," Gray chuckled bitterly, the hand he'd had pressed against his face dropping back to the table, "Everyone there seemed insanely happy." He bit his bottom lip, folding his arms over his chest as he huffed out, "I'm going back tomorrow. I'll see what I can find."

* * *

Natsu didn't know what he'd been expecting when Dimaria had called him, notifying him that Zeref wanted to meet in Wendy's hospital room. He figured that maybe his brother wanted to further discuss the details of their deal, and part of the salmon haired boy hoped that something had already been found out about Zentopia.

He'd just seen Gray off to his second day at the church, and with his best friend back in the presence of the cult and Lucy still in their grasps, he was eager to feel useful and get something done instead of just sitting uselessly on the sidelines like he had yesterday.

But his hopes were crushed the moment he stepped past the small hall at the entrance of the room, his eyes widening and his feet staggering to a halt as an unexplainable rush of uneasiness washed through him upon catching sight of the white-suited man standing by his little sister's bed.

There was something undeniably sinister about the white haired man, his pristine, unblemished suit heavily contrasting with the dark maliciousness the salmon haired boy could see in his eyes.

"Ah, Natsu," Zeref greeted, standing opposite of the man on the other side of their little sister's hospital bed. "We've been waiting for you."

The white-suited man looked up from where he'd been gazing at Wendy's blank face, his lips quirking in a grin that came off as more of a smirk, "Governor, your brother seems to have a very pure soul."

The salmon haired boy's heart dropped as a thought dawned on him at the man's words.

"Say hello, Natsu," Zeref urged, a polite smile on his features as he confirmed his little brother's suspicions, "This is the pastor of Zentopia."

Boiling rage shot through Natsu. _This_ was the fucker. The absolutely disgusting, sick and twisted man that lusted after Lucy. The one that had tricked her father into betraying her and the one that had dragged her back into the hell they'd disguised as paradise.

He was overcome with several primal urges, his impulsive instincts screaming at him to get the man away from his little sister, to deck him in the jaw for what he'd done to Lucy and for all that he was planning on making her do. But at the last second before launching himself at the guy, he held himself back, the tiniest bit of rational thought lingering in his head despite his rage.

One wrong move and he'd lose Zeref's aid, and then they'd be left to their own devices to get Lucy free.

His fury was instead manifested in the form of words rather than actions, his hands clenched into fists at his sides as he all but screeched, "He's not a pastor, Zeref! He's the leader of a fucking cult!"

"Watch your mouth, Natsu!" his older brother reprimanded, his red irises alight with disappointment and anger. He rushed to save face, turning back to the man with an amicable grin on his features, though his voice still held a pinch of spite, "You must forgive him. It seems that he still hasn't grown up, even after living on his own for three years."

"It's fine," the preacher lifted a hand to dismiss the concern before turning his gaze to the salmon haired boy, quirking a single brow, "Your name is Natsu, correct? It seems you've misunderstood," he continued, unhindered by the waves of animosity emitting from the younger Dragneel. "I'm just a cleric who preaches salvation. That's all."

"He told me he'd take better care of your friend from now on," Zeref smiled at his younger brother as if he'd done a good job with what Natsu had asked of him,

"That girl is ill, both in her mind and her heart," the preacher claimed, his voice feigning sorrow. "I apologize for any confusion she might have caused you with her nonsense. I can assure you, she will be _very well_ taken care of."

The salmon haired boy's lips quirked in a snarl as a low growl slipped through his lips. Zeref was seemingly pleasantly oblivious to the reality of the situation, but Natsu was horribly aware of what the preacher _really_ meant by 'very well taken care of.' The white haired man might have disguised his lewd desires by claiming it was a spiritual marriage for the sake of salvation, but Natsu _knew._ The way he talked about the blonde, the tone of voice he used. It gave away his craving for Lucy, and Natsu was disgusted at the thought.

"You see, Natsu?" Zeref hummed. "The situation's been all taken care of, so you should return to Crocus as soon as-"

"You know what?" the salmon haired boy sharply cut him off, his features hardening in calm, controlled rage as he ground out, "Fuck this. After what you did to Gray, I don't know why I ever thought I could come to you for help again. The deal's off, Zeref."

The governor's brows furrowed, "Natsu-"

"When I was a kid, you told me that those with power should help the innocent and weak…But I guess all of that was just senseless bullshit you came up with to make me think you were a good person, right?" the salmon haired boy hissed. "Lucy's not insane. She's smarter and more aware of the world than either of you could ever hope to be. And she's the same age as me, Zeref. Do you really feel nothing when you think about what's she going through? About how she's been trapped in that fucking place since she was just seventeen?" He pointed an accusing finger at the preacher, who was silently watching the brothers fight with a single brow quirked, as his voice bursting with volume and he roared, "Does the thought of that man locking her up just to make a pass at her not sicken you like it does me?!"

"That's enough, Natsu!" Zeref bellowed as he charged forward to stand before his brother. "Don't try to speak on matters that you know nothing of!"

"But Lucy told me everything!" the salmon haired boy spat back, angry and frustrated tears beginning to border his eyes, though he was loathe to display such weakness. "That man's a psychopath! And you're no better for stooping low enough to willingly join hands with him!"

Zeref's hand shot out and Natsu's head whipped to the side as it sharply slapped across his cheek, the salmon haired boy's eyes wide following the impact. He'd been too caught up in his own emotions to be prepared for such a thing, but the fact that Zeref had actually done it was the most surprising. Of course they'd fought just like every other pair of siblings did, but Zeref had _never_ gotten physical in their fights before.

The governor took a few heavy breaths before he cleared his throat, and Natsu almost let himself believe that his brother was going to apologize. But Zeref seemed to ignore him, turning his back on him entirely as he vouched, "You must forgive me, pastor. My brother was being incredibly foolish just now."

The preacher only nodded his head, his expression making him seem completely unbothered by what he'd just witnessed, and his words followed true, "It's quite alright, Governor. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like a moment alone with him."

Zeref took only a moment to comply, shooting one last cold glance at his brother before he stormed through the hospital room's doors.

Precht finally moved from Wendy's bedside, his hands clasped behind his back as he came to stand before the younger Dragneel, whose head was still turned to the side from the blow he'd received, "Natsu, the Almighty doesn't turn his back on the innocent and weak. That's why he entrusted Lucy to me."

The salmon haired boy only glared at the man as he turned his own words on him, rage shooting through him at the way the preacher had said the blonde's name. He clenched his jaw as he hissed, "I'm warning you. If you so much as lay a finger on Lucy, I'll turn you into a pill of ashes."

The preacher only chuckled mockingly, a knowing look on his features, "You love her, don't you?"

Natsu only let loose another growl from deep in his throat.

"Just like you're unable to hide your feelings for her," Precht hummed, "the Almighty can't hide his love either. Our affection for Lucy is greater than anyone's…even _yours._ "

"I don't think 'affection' is the right word," he seethed. "And regardless of your supposed care for her, Lucy sure as hell doesn't love you or your stupid Almighty."

The preacher only quirked a single brow, letting loose a heavy sigh before his tone shifted to become much lighter, "I hope you'll visit Zentopia soon, once you've overcome the furious demon that resides within you. People these days only believe what they can see, and it seems that you are much the same. But I believe even the hardest of hearts can be swayed when put in the hands of the right person. Lucy serves as a testament of that. She's freed herself of her demons and surrendered her soul to the pull of the Almighty's grace. Already, she has begun her journey to becoming Spiritual Mother."

"What do you mean?" Natsu hissed, his fury spiking once more as the preacher talked of the blonde. "What the hell do are you doing to her?"

"I can assure you that she is traveling down this path of her own free will. She's given up on the outside world, and acknowledged that it is full of deceptive demons. Now, she seeks salvation by my hand. And I urge you to do the same." He suddenly turned sharply on his heel, leaving no room for the salmon haired boy to speak as he stalked out the door, giving one last call over his shoulder, "Lucy and I _will_ be wed, and after the consummation, she will make the ultimate sacrifice to lead our people into our Almighty's arms."

"Sacrifice?" the salmon haired boy repeated, the thought stealing the breath from his lungs.

The preacher made no response to his utterance, only continuing on his trail of thought as he paused before the door, "You will soon realize that this course you've set yourself on will inevitably end in your own doom, and I hope to see you among my congregation on that day of sacrifice, seeking repentance and salvation from the hands of my new bride." His voice took on a tone of anticipation and satisfaction as he tauntingly purred, "How beautiful she will be when her sacred white purity is consumed by the blazing-red fire of the Almighty."

The door slammed shut behind the preacher, the sound echoing throughout the now almost-empty hospital room as if to accent the heavy blow of the words he'd just uttered.

Natsu sunk to his knees, the angry tears that had been stuck in eyes throughout the majority of his time in the room finally slipping free to numbly slide down his blank face, though they lacked their former purpose. They were tears of disbelief, of sorrow, of regret, of fear and possibly thousands of other emotions. His insides were in turmoil, though he felt numb to riot raging in his chest, only one thought on his mind.

They were going to kill Lucy. That bastard preacher was going to _rape_ her and then _murder_ her for a fake God.

And Natsu'd let her go back to him. Sure, he'd fought against those trying to send her back, but in the end he'd let her go, and now not only her innocence, but her _life_ was at stake.

He was so stupid. So fucking stupid. He never should've taken her to the police in the first place. He should've locked her in that apartment or sped off in whatever the hell direction without stopping the second she'd settled behind him on his bike.

His upper body curled forward and he fisted his hands in hair, mercilessly tugging on his own salmon locks as he let lose a scream of frustration.

Had he kept a better grip on his emotions, he would've still been standing, and had he been standing, he might've caught sight of the fingers of the seemingly numb girl in the hospital bed as they twitched.

* * *

Gray was sure his knee would've been anxiously bouncing had he been seated in a proper position, but once more, he was kneeling before the stand in Zentopia's chapel, his joints beginning to ache again from returning to the same position that had brought them discomfort the previous night.

In place of the bouncing of his knee, his eyes were shooting every which way, examining the faces of the people around him to gather as much information as he could.

He hadn't found out much of anything new, and the day was already almost over, the current service their last event of the day before he and the other 'new recruits' like him went back to town for the night. He'd heard sermon after sermon throughout the day, and he was about ready to blow with how ridiculous all of their beliefs seemed. They were certainly tailored to a naïve crowd, and although his character might belong to a group characterized as such, he himself wanted to laugh aloud at the absurdity of it all. He'd never had anything against those with religious beliefs, but the values of Zentopia were astronomically absurd.

Their praises for the Almighty aside, their belief in the divinity of the man they called Spiritual Father, the very man who was now preaching on the stand before him and the man he knew was trying to marry Lucy, was appalling. Not only did they seem to revere him with the utmost respect, but they practically _worshiped_ him, bending to his every beck and call.

Gray had somewhat spaced out while members of the congregation offered tribute to the preacher, gifting him envelopes filled with stacks of cash. He'd always known about the concept of tithing, but he'd never seen it done like this; so indiscreetly and seemingly with the intent of earning outright praise from the man they believed was divine.

The people's blind devotion to him was sickening.

The raven haired boy's focus was soon snapping back to the present though, the preacher's words snagging his attention and holding it hostage.

"…the proclamation ceremony of our new Spiritual Mother."

Gray's eyes widened and flurried about the room once more, avidly searching for Lucy. He'd been keeping an eye out for her all day, and still there'd been nothing, not so much as a single strand of her golden hair.

The preacher smiled proudly at the pulpit, sweeping his arm out in a grand gesture in the direction of the door at the side of the stand as he beckoned, "My beloved followers, let us welcome Lucy with a round of applause."

The door opened, and the congregation shot to their feet in enthusiasm as they cheered, and Gray shot to his feet too, not to applaud but to finally catch a glimpse of Lucy.

He'd been expecting her to look like hell, that the torture he knew she must've endured upon her return would be blatantly evident on her features.

But she looked gorgeous.

Her golden hair had been styled into soft, loose curls, the strands smooth and falling to her lower back. She wore a gown of fine black lace, the bodice and long sleeves hugging her frame tightly and the lace climbing up her neck and across the back of her hands a bit too. The dress accented her thin waist before giving way to layers of loose fabric, the skirt of the gown brushing against the floor and swishing with every clank of her heels as she crossed the stand to be near the preacher.

Apostle Milkovich followed the girl inside, a large, flat box balanced in her arms.

Gray watched on numbly as the blonde came to a stop before the preacher, the two of them facing each other, Lucy's features blank and unreadable as the old man smiled proudly, speaking into his mic as he purred, "Lucy, your purity will cleanse us of our filthy, wretched sins. Our wishes will be fulfilled through your innocence."

"Our wishes be fulfilled!"

The raven haired boy's hands clenched into fists as the congregation echoed the cry, their cheers tumultuous in volume as Precht opened the box his apostle had carried inside. He withdrew a crown of blooming, white flowers with bundle of white ribbons cascading down from the back of the loop, a look of utmost pleasure settling on his features as he placed the crown atop the blonde's head.

Lucy's expression didn't even flinch as she stared the preacher directly in the eyes, and Gray began to worry about what they'd put her through for her to look so dead and unaffected by what was going around her. She'd been so defiant and untamable before, and to see her take everything without so much as a word was killing him inside.

"My dear brethren," Precht faced his congregation, his proud, satisfied grin still on his features, "when I receive the Almigty's prompting, I will take Lucy as my wife, and we will become as one. We will attain our salvation and be rid of this evil world once and for all."

A piano began to play, and the chapel was soon filled with sounds of a vigorous hymn.

The preacher and his congregation cheered as Lucy descended from the stand, the crowd in the middle parting to make way for her as she exited the room with Apostle Milkovich on her tail.

Gray watched her go with darkness and fury in expression, his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched.

These people were insane. Not a single one of them seemed the least bit disgusted by the prospect of a twenty year old marrying a man who had to be in his sixties, and they were even _applauding_ the idea.

The blonde's eyes numbly glanced this way and that as she walked between those cheering for her, her gaze happening upon the raven haired boy by some miracle. Only when she caught sight of him did her expression finally change, her eyes widening and lingering on him for the briefest of moments before she got her expression back under control, quickly averting her gaze and continuing forward.

Gray's anger got the better of him, and he made to charge after her. He'd carry her himself if that was what it took to get her out of there, because he sure as hell wasn't letting that old man 'become one' with her.

A hand suddenly wrapped around his wrist before he could take so much as a single step in Lucy's direction, the person's grip firmly holding him in place. His gaze shot to the owner, shock spreading through him as he caught sight of the small, blue haired girl that'd been with Apostle Milkovich in the plaza the day before, her features hardened and her gaze determinedly fastened forwards as she pressed, "Don't get involved." Her fingers tightened around his wrist with surprising strength when he tried to tug his arm free, her eyes sliding up to his and her voice loud enough for only him to hear, "You don't want to go back to prison, do you?"

Gray's eyes narrowed, suspicion lacing his voice as he hissed, "Who are you?"

Her lips pressed into a grim line, two words escaping her in a heavy breath, "An ally."

* * *

 **AN**

 **Levy's our new ally! Her ties to the issue will be solidified next chapter, and we'll find out a tiny bit more about who she is!**

 **Also, did anyone foresee Gray joining the cult? I tried to make his absence from the Lucy's rescue and the bit in the police station really prevalent to kind of hint at it~**

 **And also, we know that Precht has other plans for Lucy...and now Natsu knows about them too.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!**

 **See ya next Friday!**


	14. Chapter 14: Awakening

**Chapter Fourteen**

 **Awakening**

Lucy pressed her lips into a grim line as she leaned her back against the door to close it, not taking her eyes off of the blue haired girl doing laundry at an open-top washing machine in the corner of the room. The blonde had been meaning to find the other girl since she'd quite literally bumped into her in the hallway the other day, but with her short absence from the church and all of the fuss over her return, she hadn't got the chance until now.

She'd made sure that she hadn't been followed on her way down, and now, she was finally alone with the girl, and free to question her all she wanted without worrying about those who may be listening in. The sounds of the several washing machines and dryers in Zentopia's laundry room would insure that their voices would be muffled beyond intelligibility to those beyond the room's walls.

Lucy didn't waste a second once the door had clicked closed behind her, not bothering to announce her presence before she was firmly pressing, "Who are you?"

The girl dropped the shirt she'd been folding in surprise at the sudden sound of her voice, obviously not having heard Lucy enter over the thrum of the dryer she'd been unloading. Her eyes were wide as she turned over her shoulder to look at the blonde, her voice borderline fearful as she asked, "P…pardon?"

"I saw everything," Lucy held firm despite the girl's supposed obliviousness. She wasn't leaving until she knew exactly who this girl was, and whether she was a foe or an ally. "You stopped that guy from helping me earlier," she accused, thinking back to when she'd seen Gray in the congregation. To say the least, she'd been shocked to see his face amongst the worshipers at first, but when she'd thought over it in retrospect, she berated herself for thinking that Natsu and his friends would let her go it her own. Gray being here was part of their plan, she knew without a doubt, and to have someone she could trust so close by, even if she couldn't talk to him for the time being, brought her more comfort and reassurance than she'd ever known she could feel whilst still in Zentopia's walls. It meant that while she was fighting from the inside, they were still people fighting for her from the outside, and together, she felt that they might really be able to take down this wicked place.

The blue haired girl only laughed nervously and lightly at the accusation, her eyes anxiously darting to the side before focusing on the blonde once more, "I…I don't know what you're talking about."

Her nervous giggling ceased when Lucy's pinning stare intensified, the blonde's eyes narrowing, "Do you really believe in this place?"

"Of…of course."

"Bullshit," the blonde hissed, refusing to give up. She knew that something was up this girl, that she wasn't like the other members of Zentopia. "You know everything, don't you? You know that this place is all fake. So why are you pretending?" The girl's blank stare only drove her to further reaches, her desperate need to know that someone else in this place felt the way she did bringing tears of frustration to her eyes, "You've been quietly observing this place, just like I have. I realized it when you asked me why I hadn't left Zentopia. I've asked myself that question a million times…I've been here for over three years, but nobody else ever asked me why I stayed."

There was silence for a few moments, and Lucy's chest grew tighter in the silence as the doubtful side of herself decided to speak up once more and whisper thoughts into her mind that she'd been wrong.

But the girl was soon letting out a heavy sigh, her seemingly clueless demeanor dropping in an instant and giving way to an aura that Lucy recognized with startling familiarity. It was the same way she looked when she talked about how much she hated the church, the very same glare she gave Precht when she was hissing insults in his direction as he tried to offer her a sermon.

"You're right," the girl conceding a heavy tone, her eyes shining with a sort of cold intelligence, "I don't believe in a single word of this place's teachings."

Without her volition, a single tear slipped free of Lucy's eyes, a new form of doubt taking her over her mind as she sought for reassurance, "R…really?"

The girl's suddenly cold demeanor softened as she saw the tear streaking down the blonde's face, her lips quirking in the tiniest of grim smiles, "To be honest… I'm a journalist from Magnolia Daily. I couldn't find anything out about this place from the outside, so I disguised myself as a believer to gather information. I've only recently managed to get close to finding out anything, but-"

"I'll help you!" the blonde suddenly professed, inhaling sharply to calm herself and keep her tears of relief at bay. Finally, she wasn't alone in this place, and she had someone she could trust. She didn't know how the tides had changed so suddenly, what with Gray and this girl showing up out of nowhere, but she was sure as hell going to take advantage of the situation while it was laid out before her.

"What?" the girl stuttered out shock.

"I'm going to destroy this place, no matter what," Lucy passionately divulged, "And since you know what this place is really about, you must want to take it down too."

"Are you sure about this?" she mumbled apprehensively, "I only came here to gather information, and you're special to Precht. He's not going to let you go easy."

"I have friends on the outside who are helping me," the blonde reassured, "That boy you stopped earlier, he was one of them. And now," she gave the girl a small, grateful smile, "I have you, too."

The blunette grinned back, nodding her head with vigor as she pledged, "Alright. I'll help you. We'll take this place down together."

* * *

Natsu tucked his hands into the front pocket of his red sweatshirt as he followed Gray out of Loke's house, both of them making their way to their bikes, which they'd parked side by side.

The raven haired boy had just returned from his second day at the church, and with two pieces of good news. First and foremost, Lucy was alive, and doing a lot better than they'd all assumed if Gray's words about her appearance were anything to go by. And second, they had a new ally, and a very useful one at that. Levy McGarden had hurriedly shoved a paper into Gray's hand before he'd left Zentopia for the day, a warning not to come back scrawled across the crumble page, accompanied by a brief explanation of her words. It turned out, she was a journalist from Magnolia Daily, and she'd discovered things while in Zentopia that were enough of an incentive for her to try and keep others away from the church.

Gray's returned with this new information and the four boys had set to work, sketching a map of what they knew of Zentopia's grounds and researching every name the raven haired boy had brought back with him.

During their planning, Natsu had also offered a new piece of information, one that rattled them all.

Precht was going to kill Lucy after he'd had his way with her.

His confrontation with the preacher in Wendy's hospital room had made him want to bust down the church's doors and steal Lucy back right away, but he knew that that wasn't at all what the blonde wanted anymore. Once, she may have desired to run away, but she'd told him about her dedication to her mother and how she refused to leave Layla there to suffer. Escaping the church wasn't enough anymore. The torture they'd both endured in Zentopia had made it so, and he knew well how much the blonde wanted to tear it from the ground herself. She wouldn't be satisfied until it was wiped off the map and all of its leaders had received their just punishments, and now, that was what Natsu wanted, too. He couldn't sleep, couldn't even _rest_ for a single moment when he thought about the fact that people like the preacher and the Zentopia apostles existed, people that would willingly and devotedly consent to the rape and murder of a girl who was practically still a teenager. He'd make sure that they all got what they deserved in the end, even if he had to break more than a few laws to do it.

And after meeting Precht, he was even more reluctant to keep sending Gray to Zentopia again and again, fearing that one day, he wouldn't return safe and sound. The second they found out who he really was, Gray could be locked away just like Lucy had been, or even worse, killed and dumped somewhere in the woods. Natsu couldn't attest to Gray's acting ability given the fact that they'd never felt the need to be anyone but their genuine, conflicting selves around one another, but he knew that it must hard to keep up the act for an entire day, no matter how persistent his rival was.

The salmon haired boy swung his leg over his bike just as his best friend did, settling onto the seat with a heavy sigh, allowing himself a moment of contemplation before he huffed out, "Frosty."

The raven haired boy paused just as he was about to slide his helmet onto his head, setting it back in his lap with a brow quirked in irritation as his gaze shifted to his rival, "What, ashface?"

"I'm sorry for making you go in there all on your own," he admittedly heavily, twiddling his fingers in his pockets. He wasn't normally one to apologize, but he felt he'd certainly done enough wrong to the raven haired boy, and therefore his rival was fully deserving of his apology, no matter how much it hurt his pride to do so. Gray had even quit both of his jobs to fully dedicate himself to saving Lucy, a task that Natsu had taken upon their group, and the salmon haired boy was sure as hell going to make sure that his rival knew how much that sacrifice meant to him, because he could never know when the last time he was going to see his best friend would be.

"Out of all the stupid things you say, you know what I hate the most?" Gray quirked a brow as he glanced at his rival, his lips curled in a hint of a snarl as he ground out, "Whenever you say 'I'm sorry.' You always act like this whole thing's your fault, but you know just as well as I do that it's not." He let out a heavy sigh, placing his hands on the edge of his seat and leaning back on them, "To be honest, it's no surprise that you, Lucy, and I ended up like this. It's all because of our shitty families. Mine and Lucy's dads…your brother…they all really fucked us up."

Natsu licked his lips as he nodded his head slowly, his voice heavy and slightly choked, "I thought that Wendy would get better once Zeref got elected again. He promised he'd do everything he could." He shook his head in regret as he hissed, "I was such a fucking idiot."

"None of that matters now," Gray grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, "You still have faith in Wendy, right? That she'll get better?"

"Of course."

"Then forget about Zeref," the raven haired boy advised, fiddling with the straps on his helmet and preparing to put it on his head once more, "and forget about all of your past regrets, too. You remember what you said to me when I got expelled, don't you? And when you came chasing after the prison bus?"

Natsu furrowed his brow as he thought about what he possibly could've said in both of those situations, two words that had meant a lot to both him and Gray bubbling up from a long forgotten part of his memory, "I…I said 'stand tall.'"

The raven haired boy gave him a smug nod before sliding his helmet on, as if to say, 'then that's all you need to remember,' before kicking back his stand and speeding off, leaving his rival to stare after him in silence.

When Lucy had asked him why he and Gray called each other best friends when they fought so much, Natsu had replied honestly, stating that they knew the other well enough to communicate without anything having to be said.

His conversation with his rival had just reaffirmed that fact, and proved to Natsu that even after all he'd done and their three years spent apart, they were just as close as they'd ever been, and nothing wasn't going to change that.

* * *

"You find anything?"

"They have a nursing home, and they do a lot of volunteer work. All of the articles are super positive."

Natsu buried his head in his hands as he let out a heavy sigh in response to Loke's findings, his head pulsing with weariness. It felt like he hadn't got even a wink of sleep last night, his mind too preoccupied with the seemingly inevitable trials Lucy would have to face if they couldn't get her out in time.

He ran his hand over his face in an attempt to wipe away his drowsiness before grumbling out, "That fucking preacher even has the police and the reporters on his side. It's sickening how easily people will bend to money's power."

"Not all police are like that, ya know," Elfman defended from his place on Loke's bed, his arms folded over his chest.

Natsu bit his lip and nodded, a silent apology on his face as he lowered his head to avoid Loke and Elfman's glares. With the way his encounters with law enforcement had been going lately, it was hard to remember that two of his best friends had older siblings who were police officers. It wasn't like he thought that Mira and Laxus were grouped in with that bunch, those who would toss law and their morals aside for money, but it was very obvious that the cult had some connections with the higher ups. And that meant that their subordinates, like Laxus and Mira, couldn't be trusted in this case, or at least not until they had solid evidence.

And Natsu was anxiously anticipating that day, the day where he'd be able to watch on smugly as Precht and his apostles finally paid for their crimes. Because no matter how hopeless things seemed at the moment, with Gray scouring every inch of that church and now that that journalist was on their side, he had confidence that it was coming, and he'd be able to see Lucy again soon.

* * *

Gray caught his bottom lip between his teeth, biting on his own flesh and tightly clenching onto the edges of his food tray to take out some of his anxiety. He'd returned to the church for his third day in a row, and unlike the past two days he'd spent at Zentopia, his phone had been confiscated first thing, only to be returned to him upon leaving for town at the end of the day. It felt like he was really in the thick of things now, with his ties to the outside world diminishing more and more the longer he stayed within Zentopia's walls.

Also unlike the previous two days, Lucy was one of the first people he saw, the blonde standing in the middle of a line of Zentopia sisters serving breakfast in the cafeteria, right beside the blue haired journalist he'd met the day before. She carried herself like one would expect of the girl who'd been given the title of Spiritual Mother, her appearance simple yet well maintained and her features bright, a gentle smile on her face as she used a spatula to scoop piles of hash-browns onto the trays of those passing by.

It didn't seem like she'd caught sight of him in line yet, or if she had, she was good at hiding it, her eyes staying devotedly attached to those she was serving and her pleasant expression never faltering.

He had to admit, she was good at playing her part, seeming genuinely happy as she scooped hash-browns onto the tray of those in line again and again. He supposed that maybe part of her really was enjoying the small act, knowing from the brief time they'd spent together, both in high school and after Natsu had rescued her, that she was the type of girl who had no problem with giving all she had to others, and that service, even if she was being forced to do it, was something that suit her character.

When he finally reached her, he thought she might just treat him like she'd treated the others, placing a lump of hash-browns on his tray before sending him off to continue down the line with a pleasant grin.

While she did give him a warm smile, her eyes held another, more urgent message, her hand quickly and discretely dipping into the pocket of her apron and her voice bright as she requested, "Could you bring your tray a bit closer?"

Gray remembered that just like she couldn't let her true feelings show, he couldn't drop his own act either, returning her pleasant smile to the best of his ability, "Yeah."

The blonde gripped his tray with her left hand, seemingly to steady it as she piled hash-browns into one corner, her fingers skimming against his. He felt paper brush against his knuckles, so he shifted his hand, catching the note between his middle and index fingers before drawing his tray back and giving Lucy a small nod of his head, "Thanks."

"Of course," she hummed, nodding her gently in return.

Gray followed the rest of the 'new recruits' to a table in the corner of the cafeteria, setting down his tray before tucking his hands beneath the table. He slipped the note into his back pocket, not daring to open it where prying eyes could see.

* * *

 _Levy said she'll help us from here on out. If you have a message for me, give it to her. I can stay strong here because I have people helping me now. Thank you all._

 _-Lucy_

Gray folded the paper once more and tucked it safely into one of the pockets of his backpack, knowing that it wasn't meant just for him, but for the rest of the guys as well. He was sure that Natsu in particular would be thrilled to hear from the blonde, even if it was just a few short sentences.

He'd found a quiet bathroom stall to tuck himself into, the restroom void of any other occupants. Despite its cleanliness, it wasn't the most pleasant place be, though it did guarantee him the privacy needed to read the note and grant him a moment of reprieve from his act. It gave him a place to think for a few seconds too, to process all that he'd heard and figure out what to do with it.

While part of him wanted to keep Lucy oblivious to the fact that Precht was planning to sacrifice her so she could maintain that strength she'd written of, the other half of him wished he had a direct way to get the word to her himself, if only so she could be prepared to fight back if things went south.

Maybe he'd have to find a way to talk to Levy so she could deliver the message, but for the time being, he'd focus on his task, doing everything he could to make sure that the blonde wouldn't have to worry about the threat of death in the first place.

* * *

Lucy made sure to sit impeccably straight in the wooden chair Ultear had instructed her to settle in, her hands clasped in her lap and her chin held high. Even if she'd shifted gears and steeled herself to endure everything the people of Zentopia put her through, she was still going to submit with strength and independence. She wasn't going to show them another moment of weakness, and she'd hold firm, waiting and watching until her moment to strike back came.

"You will begin your preparation for becoming Spiritual Mother today," the dark haired apostle stood before the blonde, with Levy at her left flank, a pleasant grin on her painted red lips as she informed, "From here on, Sister McGarden will stay by your side at all times, acting as your personal aide."

"It's an honor, Spiritual Mother," the blue haired girl bowed to Lucy as if before royalty.

The blonde fought to keep the joy from showing in her features, internally rejoicing at how her luck had changed so suddenly. Not only did she have the boys on the outside fighting for her, but now she had Levy too, and the Zentopia apostles had unwittingly given them the means to scheme together during their every moment of solitude.

"In order to be Spiritual Father's bride," Ultear continued, "you must read the Book of Salvation daily and begin the Prayer of Purification. The Prayer will cleanse your body of any worldly filth that still lingers inside." Her focus dropped to the basin of water on the table before the blonde, "This is Living Water that has been blessed by Spiritual Father. You must dip your hand inside and confess all of your sins in order to cleanse your soul."

Lucy glanced down at the glass bowl, placing one hand on its rim and slowly dipping the fingers of her other hand into the water, thinking over how she was going to go about this.

"Stir once," the apostle instructed, "and then confess a sin to the Almighty."

The blonde slowly ran her hand in a circle, the water gently churning with her movement. She let out a heavy sigh, lifting her gaze to firmly connect it with Ultear's, her voice unwavering, "Dear Almighty, I doubted your divinity and called you a fake. Please forgive me of this sin."

The apostle nodded her head in affirmation, signaling for her to continue.

She stirred the water with her hand once more, her focus never leaving Ultear's, "I resented my dad for bringing my family here. I cursed his name. Please forgive me of this sin."

"Good. Keep going," Ultear broke their eye contact, as if it made her uncomfortable, turning away from the blonde and clasping her hands behind her back.

Lucy took satisfaction in the way her stare had impacted the apostle, uncaring as water spilled over the rim and slapped against the floor as she churned her hand around the bowl once more, her voice harsher as she hissed, "I resented Apostle Milkovich and Spiritual Father. Please forgive me of this sin." Water hit the ground once more, "I called Spiritual Father and his apostles murderers. Please forgive me of this sin."

Ultear kept her focus on the ground as Lucy's confessions continued, her jaw clenching tighter with every word that slipped through the blonde's mouth.

* * *

"Lucy."

The blonde glanced up from where she'd been reading Zentopia scripture by the dim light of a candle on her desk, catching sight of her father's head poking through the door to her room, a warm grin on his face as he asked, "Is the training going well, dear?"

"How's mom?" she threw out her own question, not finding her father worthy of another lie. Her two days spent locked in the basement hadn't made her forget about how her mother had been lucid in the chapel, and Layla's whereabouts were more important to the blonde than giving her father her reassurances.

"Apostle Milkovich is doing her best to take care of her, so you needn't be worried," her father hummed.

His words weren't a comfort, and if anything, they only served to add to her concern. She was still determined to get her mother out of here, and returning to the church to find her mother acting somewhat rationally had been great new source of drive. It was proof that her mother wanted to fight back too, and that she could see the horror that was hidden in Zentopia's walls.

Lucy didn't want Ultear, or any of the apostles for that matter, anywhere near her mother, feeling that they were the ones to blame for her mother's three years of insanity.

* * *

" _Mom…"_

" _Sting?"_

" _Mom, you need to get out of here! Lucy…she's going to die if you stay! You need to get out here, now!"_

Layla jolted from her mattress, instinct flipping her from her back to her stomach as bile rushed up her throat, the acid spilling from her mouth and splattering to the tiled floor as she heaved over the side of her bed.

When she'd first come to a few days ago, everything had been a haze, her mind too frazzled to process much other than the fact that she'd walked in on Zancrow beating her daughter while her husband and an entire crowd did nothing but watch on. She'd acted before thinking, her motherly instincts driving her forward and screaming at her to protect her dear daughter.

Since then, she'd been confined to her hospital room once more, left to sort through her thoughts in a haze of ignorance.

But now, it was if every last lingering bit of confusion had left her body with that bile, and everything suddenly became clear, her dear daughter's frantic protests echoing in her mind once more.

" _This is all lies, mom! It will only encage us and bring us ruin! Please, don't do this anymore!"_

Images ran through her head, her brain now only processing things that she'd seen long ago. That same blonde apostle that had beat Lucy had lustfully run his hand across her daughter's cheek right before her eyes in the hallway outside of the prayer room, purring into her ear.

" _Three years have passed, and your skin is still very, very soft."_

That old man, too, the one who'd approached them so kindly at first, offering them a home and taking them in when they lost their son. He'd also made Lucy suffer, an image of her daughter with blood running down her wrist as she stared at the preacher appearing in her mind.

" _If you do not believe in my words, and refuse to abide by them, I shall take away from you that one thing which you cherish the most."_

Tears burned Layla's eyes as she wretched once more over the edge of her bed. How many years had she spent just sitting by and doing nothing while her daughter suffered right before her eyes? How many years had she sat with her mouth open, dutifully waiting for Ultear to place that little red, glossy pill on her tongue?

She had to find her little girl right away to apologize, and to do as her son had asked of her.

She had to save Lucy.

Her head pounded in protest as she shoved herself from her mattress, desperately untangling herself from her sheets and wrapping an arm around her middle as she stumbled towards the door, her stomach lurching violently once more. But still she pushed forward, shoving the door to her hospital room open and making to charge through it.

She stumbled to a stop when she realized that her vomiting seemed to have drawn some attention.

A dark haired woman stood in the lightless hallway outside, her lips painted red and pressed into a displeased, almost _furious_ line.

"You…you're…" Layla mumbled as her eyes widened in recognition. She frantically waved her free arm in front of herself in defense, stumbling back into her room, "Go away! What have you done to Lucy? Where is she?"

Ultear let out a heavy sigh, quirking a perfectly manicured brow in annoyance as she sourly remarked, "It seems like the drugs have worn off."

Layla's face crinkled in pain and confusion, huffing out, "What…what kind of drugs have you been giving me?"

The apostle began striding towards the blonde woman, her heels clacking on the tiled floor, "The kind that will allow you to stay in paradise for eternity."

"What are you trying to do Lucy?"

"We're giving her eternal life. She'll be the first to board the Ship of Salvation," Ultear avowed, her expression not flinching even the tiniest fraction as the woman before her began to sob.

"Why us? Why our family?"

Ultear tsked, letting out a bitter laugh, "You're still blind to your own daughter's blessings. She was chosen to become our Spiritual Mother. Because of her sacrifice, we'll all be able to reach paradise."

More tears streamed down Layla's cheeks, her head anxiously shaking in denial.

"Now, Mrs. Heartfilia," Ultear took a step closer, a threat in her voice and her eyes cold, "Why don't we get you back in bed?"

* * *

Layla shrieked through the cloth that's been tied to around her head to cover her mouth, her body exhaustedly tugging against the restraints that two of Ultear's underlings had strapped around her wrists and ankles. Her hospital bed had confined her for the past three years, but it was truly her prison now, a place of torture with no means of escape.

The dark haired apostle stabbed the needle of a large syringe through the soft lid of an unmarked vial, not an ounce of sympathy in her voice or expression as she filled the barrel of the syringe, "Do you know what this is? It's a tranquilizer strong enough to bring down an elephant."

She admired the greenish-brown liquid in the cylinder for a moment before she leaned down, stroking Layla's arm as it thrashed against her restraints, her voice light as she hushed, "Don't worry, Mrs. Heartfilia. I won't give you much. We still need you alive, after all."

Layla screamed as the needle penetrated the skin of her inner forearm, fire rushing through her veins, followed by an eerie, invulnerable feeling of calm. She couldn't fight against its weighty pull, her head lulling to the side as the tranquilizer spread through her body.

Her weary eyes drifted to the far, dark corner of the room, finding her son standing there, with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Sting…" she weakly breathed out through the cloth in her mouth, "I'm…I'm sorry…"

Ultear stroked the backs of her fingers across Layla's sweat-covered forehead as the woman fell into unconsciousness, softly humming, "That's right…get some rest."

* * *

Lucy's heart sunk as she entered her mother's hospital room, having come to set her concerns at ease by seeing her mother's condition herself. She wanted a chance to talk to her, to _really_ talk to her mother instead of the dazed, confused woman that she'd been for the past three years.

But what she found in her mother's hospital room provided her with no relief, her heart rate spiking and anger rushing through her veins.

Ultear was crouching over her mother's body, and upon Lucy's entrance, the apostle turned to face her, hiding her hands behind her back and giving the blonde a sharp look.

"What are you doing to my mom?" Lucy spat, not all concerned with keeping up her pleasant act for the moment.

"Can't you tell just by looking at her?" Ultear quirked a single brow, "It seems that your mother's condition has gotten worse. The devil's working hard to dissuade you since you've started your training to become Spiritual Mother. You must complete your training faithfully in order for her to recover."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

"If you don't," the apostle's voice cut sharply through the air, her tone stone cold and completely lacking sympathy as she threatened, "we'll have to perform an exorcism on her, and she may not survive. Would you prefer that route instead?"

Lucy swallowed heavily. Ultear was getting her back for the way she'd acted during her confession earlier. She'd taken advantage of the situation to spout a few of her genuine thoughts at the apostle, and now, that charged decision had cost her.

Her brown eyes swiveled to her mother's form, her bottom lip beginning to quiver at how still Layla's body was. She was so pale, her features so thinned and sunken in that she looked almost dead, the only thing proving her viability being the heavy rise and fall of her chest.

The blonde slowly turned her focus back to Ultear. She knew what the woman was asking of her; what she had to do to make up for the way she'd acted and the things she'd said earlier.

So she slowly sunk to her knees, her long skirt billowing out on the ground around her, her hands clenched in her lap as she quivered out, "I'm…I'm sorry, Apostle Milkovich."

"Sorry for what, Lucy?" the woman urged, obviously wanting her to outright admit her wrongs as a form of harsh repentance.

"For _everything_ ," the blonde shakily breathed, her fearful tears for her mother slipping free. She used them to her advantage, shifting her features to aid in her act of regretful remorse and penitence, "I'm _so_ sorry. So please, let my mom go."

A hint of a victorious smile quirked the apostle's lips for a moment, but her features were soon hardening back into a look of cold indifference, "You know that I want you and your mother to be happy more than anyone else in Zentopia. I pray for you both daily." She strode past the kneeling blonde, knowing she'd made her point as she called over her shoulder, "You can have a moment with her, but don't expect much of a response. I'll wait for you outside, then we'll go back to your room to study and pray."

The door slammed shut behind her, Lucy flinching at the sharp sound.

Her tears fell unrestrained now as she stood before falling to her knees once more at her mother's bedside, clasping one of Layla's cold, limp hands between her own. Acting strong when she was the only one at stake was easy, but when her mother was before her, nearly dead and obviously suffering, it felt nearly impossible to remain defiant. Her own wishes and desires meant nothing when compared to her mother, and she'd give whatever parts of herself were necessary to insure that Layla was safe.

She rested her forehead against her mother's knuckles, quietly breathing out, "Just hang in there a little while longer, mom. I promise, I'll get us out. I promise."

* * *

' _They're all fucking insane.'_

Gray watched from the back of the chapel as a few members of Zentopia went about cleaning the up the space following the service they'd just held, and the raven haired boy was absolutely disgusted by what he'd witnessed. During his first few days, there hadn't been much that set Zentopia apart as a stereotypical cult, but the second he'd walked through the chapel doors an hour ago, he'd known right away that that was going to change.

The members were kneeling before the stand just like they always were, but today they were mindlessly mumbling wordless prayers, bouncing up and down and shaking, even contorting their bodies as they lost themselves in their heads.

He and the other 'new recruits' had been ushered into the back corner instead taking their place amongst the congregation like they had the previous two days, and Gray was grateful for it, wanting to be as far away as possible from the insanity happening on the floor before him.

The man they called Spiritual Father had performed an 'exorcism ritual' on a young woman who was supposedly possessed by her dead father-in-law, the girl shrieking and spasming as if she was having a seizure whenever the white-haired man so much as spoke in her direction, collapsing to the floor when he rested a hand atop her head. After about ten minutes of her screaming, her flailing limps pinned to the floor by a blond apostle and a hulking brute of a pale man, the room had gone silent, and the girl stood, miraculously healed and free of her pains, and apparently free of her father-in-law's spirit.

The congregation had applauded her and their Spiritual Father, and Gray had clenched his hands into fists at the absurdity of it all and the gullibility of the people in the room with him.

' _They're all fucking insane.'_

He'd repeated it time and time again in his head since his first visit to the church a few days ago, and what he'd just seen only strengthened his belief in their insanity.

Apostle Milkovich was suddenly appearing out of the crowd of those cleaning up, her hands clasped in front of her as she questioned the group, "So, what did you think?"

"I didn't think ghosts were real," the boy next to Gray mumbled, his face pale giving away how the event had shaken him.

The raven haired boy bit his bottom lip to keep himself from saying anything about his own feelings, disgust now filling him as he thought about the gullibility of his fellow 'new recruits.' Of the seven that had come with him on that first day, only three had returned today, a boy and two girls, so at least he knew that there were still some decent-minded people in the world. But the three that remained with him were obviously enthralled with what they'd learned about the church so far, and the enticing teachings of the church had had their desired effect.

But he still didn't understand how anyone in their right mind would stick with this place, especially after what they'd just witnessed. It been terrifying and absurd all at once, the girl's shrieks obviously faked or a product of delusion.

His thoughts turned to the other actor in the scene he'd just watched, staying true to the clumsy and somewhat dimwitted character he'd created for himself as he shoved Loke's glasses further up on his nose and blurted out, "When will we be able to meet Spiritual Father?"

Ultear's lips quirked in a pleased smile, "Were you impressed?" She sighed heavily, "Unfortunately, those weak in spirit like the four of you won't be able to meet him face to face for quite some time. His divinity is truly astonishing, and if you were to approach him, you might be blinded by his brilliance."

Gray stared at her blankly in silence for a few moments before remembering his act and nodding his head, dismissing the idea of having a chance at meeting the supposedly 'divine' man. The preacher certainly didn't seem like he was anything special, just a twisted, sick old man who was perfectly content with manipulating people's mind in their moments of weakness to get what he wanted.

Needing a moment to drop his act, the raven haired boy excused himself from the group to go to the bathroom, Ultear instructing him to meet them in the seminar room once he was done, which he acknowledged with a nod of his head.

He was planning on heading to the same restroom he'd ducked into before, but as soon as he stepped out into the deserted hallway, he heard a muffled shriek. He froze in his steps, unsure of whether he'd imagined the sound, but when something akin to a moan sounded out again, he turned to head down the hallway in the direction opposite that of the bathrooms, his brows furrowing as he pinpointed the sounds to a door labeled 'Private Prayer Rooms.'

His fingers wrapped around the knob, adrenaline shooting through him at the thought of finally finding some solid evidence. He shot down the dimly lit, concrete staircase without much hesitation, the unsettling aura of the stairwell and its black double doors at the landing doing little to deter him. He glanced through the glazed windows of the doors once he was before them, unable to seem much other than the faint green glow of fluorescent lights on the other side.

He gripped the handle, and pulled the door open only a fraction, the hinges squeaking raucously as he did so.

"What do you think you're doing?"

His head whipped around the new voice, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the white suited man standing on the stairs behind him, a few steps from the bottom and his features cold as he clasped his hands behind his back and pinned him with a hard stare.

Gray let out a small, nervous chuckles that he supposed might fit his character, "I…I heard a weird noise coming from the other side of this door after I came out of the bathroom."

The preacher slowly descended the steps to stand before him, and Gray fought to keep a nervous smile on his face as he dropped his focus to the floor as if in shame and apology for doing something wrong.

The act seemed to work, the preacher's face and voice both softening, though his tone was still heavy as he explained, "That weird noise was the sound of believers crying in pain. They're in the process of repenting from the deepest part of their hearts."

Gray nodded his head, lightly claiming, "Ah, I see."

The preacher let out a heavy sigh, "The modern world often refuses to listen to those in pain. They only listen to those who are rich and powerful."

The raven haired boy swallowed heavily, his focus still on the floor. He hated this man with every fiber of his being for what he was planning on doing to Lucy. He was sick and twisted, and he deserved to suffer for his crimes.

So why…why was he saying things that struck a common chord within him? Gray wholeheartedly agreed within his last two sentences, and he'd suffered gravely because of the truth they held. His three years in prison for a crime he wasn't guilty of were proof of the world's ignorance to those in need, and how easily people were manipulated by power and money.

"You seem to have a lot of anger and despair bottled up inside of you," Precht spoke from deep within his throat, sorrow weighing down his tone. "I can only imagine how tortuous and painful it must've been to carry your burdens on your own."

Gray bit his lip and shook his head, trying to get the man to just _stop;_ to stop feeling sympathy for him and saying all the things he'd been desperately craving for. No matter how much he wanted to hear them, he was loathe to hear them from the man he'd envisioned as Lucy's assaulter and murderer. He didn't want to fall victim to the same enticements Lucy's father had, no matter how appealing and emotionally invoking they were.

The raven haired boy froze in place, his eyes widening as the preacher reached forward, resting a hand on his chest, directly over his heart. The old man had his eyes closed as if sensing through feeling, his voice heavy, "Your heart is very cold. If keep neglecting all of the sorrow and resentment that resides within you," his eyes slid open and they found Gray's, "you'll end up destroying yourself and everything around you."

Gray stared at the man blankly, having given up on his charade of clumsiness and gullibility.

"You should surrender everything to the Almighty," the preacher urged, "that's the only way your soul will be free of its weight."

The warmth of the man's hand withdrew, and he turned to head back up the stairs, having taken note of the impact his words had had, "Come along now, boy. This place isn't for those who have yet to complete their process of becoming a full-fledged believer."

Gray numbly nodded his head, following the preacher up the stairs without so much as a word, his head ducked in thought all the while.

* * *

Zeref let out a pleased sigh as the reporters were ushered from Wendy's room, the governor having just completed another successful press meet, one in which he claimed his devotion to his adopted little sister for the umpteenth time. The ploy had worked like a charm just as it always did, and he remained in the press' good favor, their articles after the fact always adding to his prestige.

"All flowers wither before they meet their end," he quietly remarked as he lowered himself into a chair at Wendy's bedside, his gaze sliding to his adoptive sister's blank face, "But you are still very full of life, even though all you do is sit there, staring off at nothing." He chuckled to himself, "Do you know why I still take care of you? At first, it was for Natsu, but now…you're like a flower to me, a flower I can show off to others. Your usefulness hasn't withered." He reached forward to stroke one of her cheeks, "So please, stay dead like this until I'm done using you."

"Governor."

Zeref glanced up at the call, having almost forgotten that his assistant was still in the room with him.

Dimaria's features were cold as she looked over the limp girl in the bed before returning her focus to her boss, "What are you planning on doing now?"

Zeref swiped his suit jacket from the back of his chair, sliding his arms through the sleeves and adjusting his collar once it'd settled onto his shoulders, "I think it's time I look into Precht Gaebolg myself, and figure out just what kind of place Zentopia is. I want to know how I can use them if they really have as much power as everyone says."

The blonde woman's lips quirked in satisfaction, "Of course, sir. I'll set up a schedule."

The two turned their backs as they exited the room, the flickering of the lights as they were shut off catching in a single tear that streaked down the face of the blue haired girl lying limp in the hospital bed.

* * *

Levy anxiously glanced around the hallway to make sure it was free of any possible eavesdroppers before ducking into Lucy's room, quietly closing the door behind her.

She turned to find Lucy curled into a ball on her bed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The blue haired girl's eyes widened as she hurried to take a seat beside the blonde, "What happened?"

Lucy quickly swiped at her cheeks, sniffling to pull herself together, "Ultear…I think she did something to my mom. She was hiding a syringe behind her back when I went to her room earlier."

Levy's brows furrowed, though her features were quickly hardening in determination, "Really? I'll look into it and see what I can find." She bit her lip, hesitation slipping into her voice, "Also, Lucy…"

"What is it?" the blonde turned to face her new friend, urgently pressing, "You can tell me. We're allies now, right?"

She nodded her head, taking a deep breath, "About your mom…the medication they've been giving her…It's definitely been keeping her from getting better. I'm still looking into it, but…I think it's a psychotropic drug, and I don't think your mom's the only person they've been giving it to." Her voice suddenly lost its weight, sounding a lot more hopefully, "This could be it though, Lucy. If we can prove that they've been giving patients unidentified medicine illegally, they'll be subject to legal punishment regardless of the fact that they're a religion."

Lucy forced her shock at the new of her mother's treatment aside for the time being, deciding to take the time she had with Levy to scheme using the information while they had it, "We should let the guys know. Can you help me get in touch with Gray?"

"Of course," Levy vigorously nodded her head. "It'll be easier for him to go wandering around since he's a newcomer, but…a lot of believers will have their eyes on you because of who you are. We'll have to be careful."

* * *

"Drugs? Seriously? What else are these people hiding?" Gray huffed out a heavy breath, folding his arms over his chest, "What do you need me to look for?"

Levy bit her lip, her own brows furrowed as she wrapped her arms tighter around herself. Maybe asking Gray to meet her at the prayer houses in the middle of the woods at night hadn't been the best idea on her part, but it was the only place where she knew they'd be alone, "Forged drug prescriptions, any unmarked bottles. Drug ledgers and medical charts would help, too. It won't be easy though. They'll all probably be hidden somewhere since they're illegal. These people may be insane, but it doesn't meant that they're not smart."

"Any drug in particular I need to be on the lookout for?"

"Lucy said the syringe Ultear used on her mom had a greenish-brown color. But really, anything you can find might help."

"Greenish-brown?" Gray mentally took note of the information, giving the journalist a quick nod of his head, "Got it. I'll start looking tomorrow."

* * *

"So…I met the cult leader today."

"Seriously?" Natsu hissed from his spot beside Gray on the bench at their usual spot on the shore of Magnolia's lake, his eyes wide. The raven haired boy had just returned from his third day at the church, and with Loke and Elfman still busied with doing research, Natsu had been the only to come out and greet him. But Gray was glad for it, not in the mood to deal with Loke and Elfman's eccentric bickering after the day he'd had.

"What happened?"

The raven haired boy shook his head as if in shame, a small, barely there bitter grin splaying across his lips, "The second his hand touched me, I seriously couldn't move an inch. I met so many monsters in prison…but I've never met anyone like him. His face didn't show any emotion, so I had no idea what he was thinking."

"Yeah," Natsu let out a heavy breath, "When I met him in Wendy's hospital room, he was the same way. He didn't react to anything."

"When I made eye contact with him, you want to know what I thought? I thought that I was the only one who'd had to suffer in prison for three years," Gray shook his head bitterly, "But when I looked at that man I realized Lucy's been going through the same thing. I spent no more than three minutes with the guy, and every second of it was terrifying. She's had to face him for _three years._ "

The salmon haired boy softly nodded his head, once more feeling sorrow for the blonde and how the last years of her youth had wasted away in Zentopia. He'd never felt so bad for someone in his life, and the fact that it was _Lucy,_ the girl he'd fallen in love with at first sight, only made him grieve for her more.

"You're the same way."

Natsu's gaze lifted to his rival's at the sudden comment, the raven haired boy's voice suddenly a lot softer, and uncharacteristically so as he admitted, "I think I get it now, flamebrain. I always thought you had it easy, but…now I know that you were suffering to."

The salmon haired boy could do nothing but stare at his best friend, having not expected to hear such a sentiment from the raven haired boy. Gray rarely got sympathetic, not because he lacked the emotion to do so, but just because he'd had it so rough himself that it was hard for him to spare the pity for those who weren't suffering as much.

Nevertheless, Natsu felt somewhat relieved by the fact that it seemed like Gray was starting to understand his side of things, even though their trials were drastically different in both makeup and impacts.

"So now that I've been set free," Gray continued, giving his rival a bit of a confident smirk, "I think it's time for you and Lucy to get out of your own prisons. What do you say?"

The salmon haired boy snickered in response, giving his best friend his bright grin, "Sounds good, frosty. We'll get out of this together."

* * *

 **AN**

 **When you're watching the new FT episodes and Gray and Levy both sneak into Avatar like they do in this fic and you realize that you could've named the cult Avatar and it probably would've made more sense than Zentopia:** **ლ** **(** ಠ **益** ಠ **ლ** **) …I read the manga while it was coming out, so it's not like I didn't know about Avatar but I just kinda forgot about it in all honesty…Oh well, guess it's too late for a change…**

 **Anyways, I'm glad that y'all are excited about Levy and Wendy! I'm super excited about them becoming more important to the story too and their upcoming scenes! Other characters that have been more or less background characters that you might've forgotten about, like Gajeel, Jellal, Erza, Juvia, and Cana, will be back in the future too as we approach the climax, and they'll all have a role to play!**

 **Nothing super super exciting this chapter, but the tides turn in the next chapter a bit, though I won't say whether it's for better or for worse ;) Just know that a certain character may or may not start to switch sides**

 **I've also been working on a Christmas gift in the form of a fic that I'm super excited about, so I hope you'll give it a read when it comes out :D**

 **Thanks for reading, and see ya next Friday!**


	15. Chapter 15: You Are A Memory

**Chapter Fifteen**

 **You Are A Memory**

Mest let out a heavy sigh as he ascended the steep slope to the portion of forest that had been sectioned off with police tape, his lips pressed into a grim line.

A corpse had been found beneath a pile of leaves in the middle of the woods, the body belonging to a girl who couldn't have been older than twenty-one. She'd been found by a hiker at the crack of dawn, her body already decomposing beyond recognition.

Sergeant Dreyar and his white haired partner were already at the scene, both of their faces grim as they watched workers examine and take pictures of the scene.

The pair gave the detective a salute upon catching sight of him, the blond cop gesturing to the man he'd been conversing with once his salute had been commanded at ease, "This is the guy who found the body."

Mest spoke over his shoulder to one of his subordinates, "Get his statement." He waited until the hiker, who was obviously still shaken, had been led away before turning back to the two cops, "Have we found anything other than the body yet?"

"She had her wallet and her ID on her," Mira informed him, handing over the plastic bags with the aforementioned pieces of evidence inside.

Mest smoothed out the bag over her ID, squinting to read the printed information through the sheen of the plastic. His brows furrowed as his eyes scanned the card. Right now, her first name was of little of import, but the last name, Mine, was one he recognized.

Only a few days ago, a father, Wakaba Mine, had come to the station to demand a search for his daughter, telling them that she'd ran away to join some religion and never returned, nor had she been heard from since then. The father and daughter had had an argument before she'd run out, the girl requesting a hefty sum of two-thousand dollars in order to find paradise. Mest had promised the man that he'd look into it, but it seemed that a lead had come to find him instead.

"What's the matter?" Mira questioned, catching the shift in his expression and demeanor.

"It's nothing," the detective ground out, shoving the plastic bag with the ID and wallet back into her hands before stalking away to think.

Stuff like this just didn't happen in Magnolia. It was the type of town where everybody knew everyone, which meant crime rates were low and when laws were broken, they were never laws that concerned murder and rape and a whole slew of other horrid acts. The worst cases he'd ever had to deal with in the small town were robberies and vandalisms, but even those cases had been lacking in severity.

This was case presented a whole new ball game though, and he hadn't dealt with something this serious since he'd transferred from Crocus all those years ago.

He paused in his pacing when a he caught sight of a bright white through the dark green leaves of the trees, his feet continuing to carry him in that direction until the sight beyond the trees was clear.

It was a church, and a rather Gothic looking one at that.

"Hey," he called for one his subordinates, his eyes never leaving the bright white structure, "What's that building over there?"

"It's Zentopia."

"Zentopia?" he repeated, his mind going back to an argument he'd had with a group of three boys who were barely old enough to be considered adults only a week before present, the meek blonde the boys had brought them surfacing in his mind as well.

That blonde had had quite the story to tell about Zentopia, and now a girl who'd run off to join an unknown church had been found dead less than a mile from the place.

Mest let out a gruff sigh as he turned to head back towards his car. Maybe it was time to finally pay the church in the forest a visit.

* * *

Gray didn't care how sloppy his eating was as he dug into the butter-slathered waffle on his tray, his taste buds humming in delight at the flavor. Sure, Zentopia and its people were twisted and disturbing beyond belief, but the food wasn't half bad, and a waffle drowned in maple syrup was exactly what he needed to make him feel at least a little bit better after the morning he'd had.

First, his phone had been confiscated once again, which wasn't much of a bother this time considering Loke had given him his phone last night to hide in his backpack in case of emergencies, but then Lucy hadn't been among the sisters serving breakfast today, and lastly, to make things even worse, he'd been forced to sit with regular members of the church instead of the other newcomers like him. He was loath to sit among the people he'd seen contorted on the floor in prayer the previous night during the exorcism ritual, and once again, they were up to something strange, the people around him all sprinkling water from glass vials onto their food.

No matter how uncomfortable he was whilst sitting among them, the raven haired boy decided to at least use the opportunity to gather some information, clearing his throat before leaning towards the brunette woman across from him and politely inquiring, "Excuse me, but…what is that?"

"This?" the woman held up the vial, a bright smile spreading across her lips, "It's Living Water."

"Living Water?"

The brunette leaned across the table to be closer to him, whispering as if she was speaking information that was confidential, "Even those who are bedridden with terminal illnesses will be healed if they drink this."

"Just drinking it isn't enough," the man next to her added in, suddenly leaning in to be part of their conversation, "You have to have faith in it for it to work."

"Yes, absolutely," the brunette affirmed.

Gray's eyebrows furrowed as he looked between the two and their vials, taking note of a peculiar difference as he spoke to the man, "So, why is your lid gold?"

He smiled proudly, "It's special. It's Living Water that's been blessed by Spiritual Father's face."

"His… _face_?" the raven haired boy repeated, disgust beginning to creep through him at the implications.

"It means that he used it to wash his face," he hummed in affirmation.

"And... _you sprinkle it on your food_?" Gray questioned, sickened by the idea.

The brunette woman chuckled, taking note of how his lips were twisted in disgust, "It seems that you don't understand what a blessing it is since you're new here. Living Water that has been blessed by his face is considered the most precious."

"So…what kind of water is yours?" he asked the woman, already dreading hearing her answer, which was sure to be just as appalling as the idea of face water.

Her lips pulled tight in a proud grin as she lifted her vial, "Spiritual Father once washed his feet with this water."

Gray's stomach involuntarily lurched at the information, and he quickly excused himself from the conversation with an attempt at an understanding nod and a half-assed smile, turning his face away before either of the two could see him wretch. He let his fork fall back onto his tray beside his half-eaten waffle, the food no longer having the same appeal.

* * *

A gasp slipped through Lucy's lips as Levy held her hands out for the blonde to see, her eyes widening at what rested in the journalist's palms.

It was her phone.

She snatched it from the blue haired girl's grasp, her eyes wide as she breathed out, "Levy…where did you find it?"

"Ultear left a stack of questionnaires for that seminar Gray and the others are at in her room, so she gave me her key and sent me to get them," Levy informed the blonde. "I thought I'd do a little snooping while I was in there to see if I could find anything, and there was a phone in a shoebox at the bottom of her closet. I didn't know it was yours, but…I'm glad I took it."

"Do you think she'll notice that its gone?" Lucy shakily asked, her fingers holding down the power button to turn it back on. She wasn't sure whether or not it'd work after it'd been shut off for over three years, but her hopes were high.

"I doubt it," the blue haired girl huffed out. "The box had a lot of dust on it, so I don't think it's been touched in years. Probably not since she took it from you."

Lucy let out a breath of relief as the screen flashed to life, illuminating the picture of her and Sting that she'd chosen as her screen saver all those years ago. Unlike the last time she'd seen the picture, she didn't feel any sorrow as she gaze upon her deceased brother's face, and instead, a small smile was wiggling its way onto her face, because now, with Levy and the boys on her side, she was close to getting out of Zentopia for good, closer than she'd ever been before.

* * *

"Detective Gryder, what brings you here? Have you taken any action against those three boys?"

Mest pressed his lips into a thin line as he was finally ushered into the chapel to meet with those he'd requested to see, the three who had come to the station a week ago to report Lucy Heartfilia's abduction. Jude, Ultear, and Zancrow stood before him now, the woman's eyes in particular alight with a burning desire as she awaited the answers to the questions to she'd asked.

He let out a heavy sigh, not in the mood for her pleasantries, "We can't punish them, so we let them go."

"What?" Jude hissed out, his eyes wide, "But they abducted my daughter!"

"Your daughter stated that she wanted them to take her, so it can't be considered an abduction. Additionally," his focus slid to the blond apostle on the other side of Ultear, "The redhead was pretty beat up," he hissed, avoiding the use of the boy's name for the sake of keeping his identity a secret from those who might want to seek him out. "He had a bruised nose and a black eye, both of which he said were your doing."

Zancrow quirked an apathetic brow, not at all fazed, "I was simply trying to protect Lucy."

Mest's lips threatened to quirk upwards at his response, "So you're admitting to it?" He restrained a small chuckle as both Zancrow's smirk and Ultear's pleasant grin faded, "And there's one more thing, too…Lucy said she was forcibly locked up here."

"That's nonsense!" Jude exclaimed.

"Detective, you've overstepped your boundaries," Ultear hissed, her eyes cold. "Our believers come here to cure their souls of evil. You're calling it confinement because you don't understand our practices."

He held his bitter expression for a moment before caving with a heavy sigh, "Sure, I'll apologize for that. But there's still a few things I need to check before I can just leave. Any chance I could meet with your pastor?"

"We call him Spiritual Father," the dark haired woman ground out, as if the detective should've known that already. "He's not just some meager pastor. He's the holiest man in our religion besides the Almighty."

He quirked a brow, looking around the chapel before gesturing to the large red cross at the back of the room, which was unlit but still very prevalent against the white of the walls, "Then what's with the cross? It means you believe in Jesus Christ, doesn't it?"

"We believe in the ideas of sacrifice and atonement," she responded sharply, her eyes narrowing in distaste. "We're not like other churches, so please don't try to group us in with them."

"All other churches are fake," Jude added in, his hands clasped in front of himself. "We're the only ones who worship the truth."

Mest let out a heavy breath, scratching the back of his head, "Got it, but you never answered my question. Can I meet your pastor-" His voice cut out at the way Ultear's eyes narrowed at the word, quickly correcting himself, "May I meet your _Spiritual Father_ for a moment?"

Zancrow let out a sharp chuckle, "You're clueless. Lowlifes like you can't have the honor of meeting someone as important as him."

"Did you just call me a _lowlife_?" Mest hissed, taking a step closer to the blond apostle, who was smirking smugly.

"Brethren."

The three members of Zentopia all turned to look over their shoulders at the sudden call, Mest following their gazes to the white suited man that had just entered at the back of the chapel, his hands clasped behind his back as he firmly commanded, "Let us avoid causing a scene in such a holy place, and move this into my office instead."

* * *

"I'm Chief Mest Gryder from Magnolia's Serious Crimes Unit," Mest didn't waste a second once they'd settled on the couches in the so-called 'Spiritual Father's' office, whipping out his badge and sliding it onto the table in between the two couches for the preacher and his apostles to see. "As you know, there was the abduction case involving Lucy Heartfilia, and another issue broke out in this area this morning, so I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Of course," Precht nodded, not looking at all fazed by the detective's presence. "Go ahead."

"About that girl, Lucy," Mest started, his eyes carefully examining every feature of the four seated around him, "Have you ever demanded she participate in sexual intercourse with you?"

The preacher only smiled and shook his head as if such an accusation were foolish, "Of course not."

"According to her, she was told that she had to marry you. What do you have to say about that?"

Precht let out a heavy sigh, speaking as if he were explaining something to a child, "When our Almighty's world is viewed from a mortal perspective, such misunderstandings can certainly arise. Our wedding will be purely spiritual, meaning that our two souls will become as one."

Mest quirked a brow, casting a quick glance at Jude to gauge his opinion on the matter. The detective was surprised to see that he didn't seem the least bit bothered by the idea of his twenty-year old daughter with a man that was old enough to be her grandfather, and if anything, he looked pleased with what was being said.

He shoved the man's lack of disgust aside for latter contemplation, looking back to the preacher with a heavy sigh, "Look, I didn't come here to talk about your religious doctrine. Does your so-called 'Spiritual Wedding' include any sexual intercourse? _That_ was my question."

Precht only gave him another pleasant grin, "You keep approaching the subject from a worldly point of view."

"And you keep avoiding my question."

"Chief, I'm her father," Jude suddenly cut in, obviously angered by the conversation. "What kind of father would force his daughter into something as vulgar as that?"

"No parents in their right mind would," Mest spat, taking a jab at the blond man and implying an indirect insult. "You said the wedding is a ritual where two souls seek spiritual cohesion, correct? So let me ask again," he narrowed his eyes at the preacher, his voice firm and demanding as he asked once more, " _Is sex a mandatory part of the ritual_?"

Precht's face was finally void of his pleasant grin, his voice low, "It seems that you still don't want to believe what we're telling you. So why don't we let you ask Lucy hereself?" His gaze shifted to the woman on the couch beside the detective, "Apostle Milkovich?"

"I've already sent Kain for her, Spiritual Father. She'll be here shortly."

Mest's jaw clenched as if on cue, there was a knock at the door, and he turned over his shoulder just as the door opened and a blonde slipped inside, her eyes widening as she caught sight of him sitting there. The door softly clicked closed behind her, and she stood completely still, obviously unsure of how to react to his presence.

"Lucy, dear," Precht greeted warmly, "You remember Chief Gryder, don't you? He's the one who returned you us after you'd been stolen away."

The detective grit his teeth at the mention of his past actions, the fact that the preacher had used the word 'stolen' instead of 'kidnapped' or 'abducted' making him think he should've listened to the Drangeel boy.

"Why don't you come take a seat? He only wants to ask you a few questions."

The blonde broke out of her paralyzed state, nodding her head before moving to where Zancrow had formerly been seated by her father, the blond apostle moving to stand directly behind her as she took her place across from the detective.

Mest cleared his throat as he looked her over, noting that she sure as hell looked a lot better than she had when she'd last sat before him, "Your dad, Spiritual Father, and these apostles are saying that you were never coerced or confined in any way. Is that true?" He cast a glance around at the other four in the room with them, catching sight of the sharp gazes they were giving the blonde. He cleared his throat again before connecting his gaze with the girl's once more as he reassured, "Don't be nervous. Just speak honestly."

"Yes, such things never happened," she replied monotonously, her back impeccably straight and her hands clasped neatly in her lap. "This place isn't the kind of place you think it is."

"But…" Mest scrambled, having not expected such a shift in behavior from the girl. She was completely calm and cool-headed as opposed to the frazzled, distraught mess she'd been in the station, "The last time I saw you, you said-"

"I wasn't really myself that day," she calmly explained. "You saw my medical report, didn't you? I've been diagnosed with depression."

"It's because she still needs to work on her faith," Jude continued. "She's my own flesh and blood, so of course I know how she feels."

Lucy clenched her hands tighter together. The action was so small it could've been written off as a twitch, but Mest didn't miss it, and when he looked back up into the blonde's face, he could tell that she knew he'd seen it. But she didn't seem the least bit bothered by the fact that he'd caught the small action, her eyes alight with understanding and holding his gaze with ease.

"Spiritual Father," Ultear suddenly cut in, "the afternoon service will begin shortly. Should I delay it?"

"There's no need," Precht soothed. "Our believers have already begun their preparations for it, so I shouldn't keep them waiting." He looked to the detective, "Chief, please excuse us."

Mest held up his hand as the man stood, "Just one last question-"

"That's enough," Zancrow cut him off, his hands tightening their grip on the back of the couch where Lucy and her father sat, "I know that you're a cop, but it seems you've overstepped your boundaries." He let out a small chuckle, his lips still twisted in a smirk, "I mean, it's not like we're criminals. We live in a country where everyone has the freedom to practice whatever religion they choose, right?"

The detective stared at the blond apostle in silence for a moment before dropping his head forward with a chuckle of his own, a satisfied smile splayed across his lips when he lifted his head again, "Perfect. You said exactly what I was expecting to hear."

Ultear quirked a brow, "Pardon?"

"I was wondering when you'd bring it up," Mest chuckled, "and you finally did. _The freedom of religion_." He gave everyone in the room one last glance, ignoring the furrowed brows and narrowed eyes that greeted him as he stood and bid them farewell with a grin, "Well, I'll get going then."

He gave Lucy once last smile and a seemingly meaningless nod of his head before he turned away, not even waiting for anyone of the apostles to see him to the door.

* * *

"Natsu! Get the fuck over here!"

"We've got big news!"

The salmon haired boy's eyes widened as he was assaulted with various shouts of his name the second he stepped through the door to Loke's apartment, quickly stepping on the backs of his shoes to slide them off and nearly bounding towards where Elfman and their orange haired friend were seated at a desk, a laptop open before them.

"What is it?" he huffed out as he crouched behind the two, not knowing whether to expect something or something bad.

"So I uploaded those pictures Gray drew us of the church's emblem to Twitter, and someone responded with another picture," Loke hurriedly babbled out, opening the post for the salmon haired boy to see and pointing to the cross on the brick wall that was behind the girl posing in the photo. "Doesn't that look like the exact same thing? A cross on top of a cloud with wings?"

Natsu's brows furrowed as he examined the picture, "Do you know where that is?"

Loke let out a heavy sigh as he shook his head, "I've been messaging the person who posted it nonstop, but they haven't replied."

"Wait, zoom in right there, on that sign," Elfman suddenly hunched forward to get a better look at the screen as he read, "'Hargeon Delivery Service.'"

Loke furrowed his brows, "Does…does that mean that this picture is in Hargeon? Should we go and try to find this girl?"

Natsu pulled back from the screen, biting his bottom lip, "Hargeon isn't exactly the smallest town. I don't think we'd even be able to find that street."

The orange haired boy suddenly started, his eyes going wide with an idea, "Wait a minute…didn't Juvia live in Hargeon before she moved here?"

* * *

Lucy took a deep breath as the chapel doors slid shut behind her, her eyes immediately finding the only other person in the room.

Precht was standing near the pulpit, basking in the light of the red cross on the wall with his back to her.

She swallowed heavily before starting up the steps of the stand and breaking the heavy silence, "I heard that you wanted to see me?"

He turned over his shoulder at the light sound of her voice, a pleasant grin breaking out across his features as he caught sight of her standing there. He stepped forward and snatched one of her hands from her side, cradling it softly between both of his own as he beckoned, "Come closer, dear."

Lucy dropped her gaze to the floor as he led her up the rest of the steps, pulling her until she was standing just before the red cross. She flinched when he moved to stand behind her, both of his hands coming to rest heavily on her shoulders as he leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Apostle Milkovich told me that you have been faithful in your training. Are you ready to accept me and the Almighty with all of your heart?" One of his hands lifted, his fingertips brushing against her jaw as he brushed a few strands of her hair behind her shoulder, exposing her neck.

Her eyes widened as she felt his breath puff against her skin, but she refused to let him do anything to her, quickly whipping herself around pulling her shoulders from her grasp as she faced him fully, her lips set in a thin line, "Why did you chose me as Spiritual Mother?"

He quirked a brow at her sudden shift in behavior, letting out a heavy sigh as he explained, "It wasn't me that chose you, but the Almighty. You've been called to atone for all of our sins on our behalf."

"That's not what I was asking," Lucy ground out, her hands clenching into fists at her sides, "Tell me the _real_ reason. Why _me_ of all people? Why my dad? Why my mom? Why did it _have_ to be our family?"

Precht remained unbothered by the growing fire in her tone, his hands clasped behind his back as he simply breathed, "It's all part of the Almighty's plan."

"There's no point in lying to me," the blonde hissed. "I can tell…you know that I'm not sincerely obeying you. I'm only doing all of this to protect my mom, and you know it… _So stop lying._ " She took a step closer to him, immune to his intimidating height advantage over her as she ground out, "Tell me…why are you doing this to us? To _me_?"

He examined her hardened, determined features for a moment, seemingly partly in admiration and partly in an attempt to understand her better, before he purred, "Lucy…A long time ago, there was a female believer who would visit me often. She had such a pure soul, and she was very pretty, too. Just like you."

The blonde's hands clenched even tighter. She really hadn't expected to receive an honest answer, and although part of her was eager to be hearing him speak of the past and the truth instead of more made up garbage, the words he'd spoken so far already had her fearing the rest of the story, her mind already running wild with the possibilities of where it was headed.

Precht's lips quirked a fraction as a small chuckle slipped through his lips, his eyes dancing with cruelty as he murmured, "I supposed I misinterpreted her devotion, and I was too eager." His gaze dragged up and down her form, his eyes curling along her curves before returning to her face, "Fruit has to ripen…in order for it to taste the most sweet."

Lucy stood stock still, her eyes wide and her hands trembling at her sides.

She wasn't the first girl he'd targeted, and with that other girl, the one he'd spoken of, he'd succeeded.

Their marriage wasn't at all what he'd made it out to be. At first, she'd thought that he genuinely believed it would attain them spiritual cohesion and a place on the Ship of Salvation. But now…she knew that the entire reason the ceremony existed was so he could have a chance at raping her without earning himself the disproval of his believers. He'd used his power and influence over them to seduce them into condoning the horrid act, and his lustful desires were successfully disguised as a strategy for salvation.

"She later drowned herself in a river," the preacher continued with a heavy tone, his eyebrows furrowed as if he still didn't understand why such a tragic event had occurred, "and her loss saddened me more than anything ever had before. All I wanted was to teach her the secret to salvation." He reached forward, brushing the backs of his knuckles across the pale cheek of the paralyzed girl before him, "When I first laid eyes you, laughing as you ate with your family…I knew that I couldn't let myself fail this time. Such purity, such innocence and beauty…I couldn't let it be tarnished by a hand that wasn't my own." He gently cradled one of her golden locks, running his fingers down the strand as he purred, "Now, dear Lucy, do you understand why I chose you?"

The blonde took an unsteady step backwards, her fingers curled into the fabric of her knee-length skirt and her hair slipping from his grasp as she pulled back.

Precht let out a deep chuckle as he raked his eyes up and down her quivering form, satisfaction playing across his features at the fear and realization in her eyes, "You have nowhere to run, Lucy. Try all you want, and scream for help." He took a step closer to her as he hummed, "There's only one person capable of saving you here…and that's me. No one else is permitted to be your salvation."

He reached forward to stroke her cheek once more, and the movement Lucy snapped out of her paralysis, her will and courage surging back to the surface as she smacked his hand away, her jaw clenched as ground out, "That's why you're doing this?" Her voice grew louder, echoing through the empty chapel as she shrieked, "You tore my family apart just because I remind you of the girl that killed herself because of you?!"

His hand shot forward, his fingers weaving through the hair at the base of her neck and clamping down on the golden strands. She grit her teeth as he kept a tight hold on her hair, whipping her around and pushing her to the ground, a scream tumbling from her lips as the back of her head collided with the marble floor of the stand.

She didn't get a chance to fight back, his hands snatching her wrists and pinning them to the floor on either side of her head as he followed her to the ground, kneeling beside her hips as he ground out, "If you keep misbehaving like this, I may have to change my ways." One of his hands left her wrist, his fingers moving to curl around the bottom edge of her skirt and yank the fabric upwards.

"Please, don't!" Lucy shrieked as she shot forward, uncaring that it put her face uncomfortably close to his, her hand clenching on top of his and her arm locking straight to stop him from tugging her skirt any higher up her leg. Her other shoulder ached from the sharp movement since he still had her wrist pinned to the floor, but she ignored the agony, her voice shaky as she breathed in a panic, "I…I get it now, okay? I know that you can do whatever you want to me whenever you please…I won't run away," She took a few deep breaths, tears of fear and disgust slipping down her as she pleaded, "So please…if this is my fate," she swallowed heavily as she prepared to say the words she loathed, but knew needed to be said if she wanted to be saved from his lust, at least for this moment, "Help me. Help me accept you with all of my heart. I just…I need just a little more time."

His features were still cold as he stared at her, his voice low and barely above a whisper, "Can I really trust you not to run away?"

"You have my mother," she hissed, tears still streaming down her cheeks despite the severity of her tone.

"That's right," he hummed, his lips quirking in amusement and his features softening, "What a loyal daughter you are." He reached forward to stroke her cheek once more, his features alight with satisfaction when she didn't swat his hand or even flinch away from his touch, "Until the day when the fruit has ripened to perfection…I'll be waiting."

* * *

Levy gasped softly as the eyes of the woman on the bed before began to flutter, continuing to dab the sweat from her forehead as she gently inquired, "How are you feeling, Mrs. Heartfilia?"

Layla sucked in a heavy breath, her voice still heavy with sleep as she mumbled, "Where…where am I?"

The blue haired girl didn't bother answering, knowing that the woman would snap back to reality and remember soon enough. So she took advantage of the time she had alone with Layla, hurriedly whispering under her breath, "You shouldn't swallow the pills that Apostle Milkovich gives to you from now on, alright?"

"What…what are you talking about?"

"Listen to me closely if you want to save Lucy, okay?" Levy anxiously whispered. "You can't swallow the pills. That's the only way you'll get better and get out of here." She pulled back from the blonde woman as the door to the hospital room was shoved open, and she turned over her shoulder to give Ultear a soft smile, her voice light as she informed, "Sister Heartfilia seems to be awake now."

The dark haired apostle's lips were pressed into thin as she set the tray in her hands on the bedside table, her narrowed eyes never leaving the blonde woman as she instructed, "Help her sit up, would you?"

Levy nodded and stood from her stool, hooking her one of her arms through Layla's and wrapping the other arm around her back as she helped her into a sitting position. The blonde woman looked as pale as she always did, but the dark circles that had almost always been present beneath her eyes for the past three years had faded a significant amount.

Ultear gave the woman a piercing stare, her voice sharp, "Do you know where you are?"

Layla's eyes shifted back and forth for a few moments before she breathily mumbled, "Paradise. The place where Sting is."

"That's right," the dark haired apostle's red lips quirked at the edges, obviously pleased with the answer, "Would you like to take your medicine now?" She pinched the glossy, red pill on her tray between her thumb and index finger, stepping forward and leaning down towards the woman in the hospital bed, "Open up."

Layla mindlessly complied, even sticking her tongue out so the apostle could place the pill atop it. She used both hands to accept the mug Ultear held out to her, taking a mouthful of water and throwing her head back.

"There you go," Ultear hummed in satisfaction as Layla opened her mouth for her to check, her tongue void of the red pill. "You have to keep taking your medicine so that you don't get sick again." She took the mug back, setting it on her tray and gesturing with her head for Levy to follow her as she started towards the door, "Get some rest now, okay?"

The blue haired girl cast a worried look over her shoulder as she followed the apostle out, her brows furrowed as she gazed at the woman on the bed one last time before sliding the door shut behind her.

Layla waited until their steps had faded into silence before reaching into her mouth pull the pill out from where she'd hidden it beneath her tongue, her jaw clenching as she tucked it beneath her mattress.

* * *

Lucy numbly trudged out the front doors of the church, heading back to Zentopia's boarding building on her own for the first time in days since Levy had been dismissed from her side before her meeting with Precht. She didn't know where her aide had wandered off to in the meantime, but she trusted that wherever Levy was, she was making use of her free time to gather information. Besides, Lucy didn't really feel like speaking to her new friend right now, her mind too preoccupied with what had happened in the chapel and fear still lingering in her veins.

A calloused hand was suddenly wrapping around her wrist, and a shriek threatened to spill from her lips as she was tugged from the path and pinned against a nearby pillar. Her scream was muffled as another hand landed over her mouth, her eyes widening as a strong body stepped before her and pressed her further back into the cold stone of the pillar, their head turned to the side as if listening for some far off noise.

She let out the breath she'd been holding when her brain finally cleared enough for her to pick out raven locks from the darkness of the night sky, her racing heart calming when the light of a nearby lamppost caught in the lenses of a pair of glasses that looked like they belonged to Loke as the boy before her finally connected their gazes and removed his hand from her mouth.

Gray's brows were furrowed as he softly asked, "You okay?"

Lucy anxiously nodded her head, "I…yeah. But you scared the shit out of me."

"You sure you're okay?" he pressed, his voice still low to avoid being overheard by anyone in the vicinity. No one was in sight, but it couldn't hurt to be cautious, "You didn't look so good when you walked out of there."

"I said I'm fine," she insisted, a bit of bite to her voice as she glared up at him. He was still standing incredibly close to her, closer than she should've been comfortable with after what had just happened with Precht, his height and broad shoulders practically keeping her smaller frame pinned against the pillar. But it was Gray, and she trusted him and his friends more than anyone else. She knew that he would never dare laying a hand on her in the way Precht had, so she let her tense body finally relax against the pillar.

She let out a heavy sigh when she remembered that this was the first time she'd talked to him since she'd returned to Zentopia and since he'd snuck in, and because he'd taken that risk, he didn't deserve to have her take her anger out of him. It wasn't meant for him anyways, and the only thing she felt towards him at the moment was gratitude. Her voice softened, her gaze dropping from his face to his shoes to avoid making eye contact, "I'm sorry, Gray. I…I want to apologize to all of you, actually. You, Natsu, Loke, and Elfman have already gone through so much trouble for me, but you're still helping out…"

"Don't be sorry, Lucy," he breathed, his lips quirking in a small, reassuring smile. "The four of us have always been like this. Getting into trouble is kind of our thing."

The murmuring of voices suddenly filled the air, and Gray looked around for the source, his shoulders tensing, "I…I think I should go."

Lucy bit her bottom lip and nodded her head, loath to send him off so soon when they'd only exchanged a few words but knowing it'd be bad if they were to get caught in this situation, "Right. We need to be careful around each other. If they catch on, it's game over."

"Got it," he gave her a sharp nod, anxiously whispering a few last words before heading on his way, "Good luck, Lucy. I'll see you on the other side once we get you out of here. So stay safe."

"You too," she breathed out under her breath as he retreated and disappeared back into the dark of night, probably on his way to the van that would take him back down into the valley for the night.

She stayed leaning against the pillar for quite some time after he left, already regretting not telling him of what she'd learned from Precht. She was still a bit shaken up from it though, and a brief run in with someone she could trust was just what she'd needed.

When she got out of here, she'd have do all she could to thank those four boys for all that they'd done. She felt that was eternally indebted to them, because if they succeeded in getting her out of Zentopia, which she was sure they would, it would meant a lot more to her than them just setting her free. They would be saving her _life,_ and such a favor was something she'd never be able to forget.

* * *

"Lucy's room is on the second floor of this building," Gray circled the boarding building on the map he and his friends had drawn and tacked to the wall in Loke's apartment, writing the blonde's name inside the circle, "And her mom is on the fifth floor of the sanitarium. This route is the quickest way to get down into the valley, but they rarely use it because it's so steep."

"And the main entrance?" Natsu questioned, mentally taking note of all of the information his best friend was telling him, Loke, and Elfman.

"It's too risky. A lot of people are coming in and out throughout the entire day, so the gate's never locked, but there's a pretty small chance of getting through it without being seen."

"Gray, is Lucy doing okay?" Loke suddenly cut in, a pout on his features.

"What kind of dumb question is that?" Elfman quirked a brow. "When she's in a place like that, how you can you expect her to be okay?"

The orange haired boy rolled his eyes before dramatically and sarcastically hissing, "Fine then, let me rephrase it: Gray, Lucy must doing horribly, am I right?" His focus whipped back towards the Strauss boy as he spat, "There, was I supposed to ask it like that instead?"

"Regular believers aren't supposed to meet with her," the raven haired boy started heavily, cutting off any chance at bickering between the two, "so I haven't said more than a few sentences to her…but she seems like she's staying strong."

"That's good," Natsu breathed out, nodding his head. He wished their roles were reversed, and that _he_ was the one who was sneaking into the church every day to better their chances at saving her. Even the possibility of catching a single glimpse of the blonde was incredibly enticing, and part of him was beginning to think that maybe he could pretend like he'd given in to Precht's advice and he could join the cult with the made-up intention of seeking repentance. When he thought about it realistically though, he knew that such a ploy would never work, because the second he saw Lucy, his instincts would kick in and he wouldn't be able to stop himself from carting her out of there and ruining all of their work to take down the cult for good.

"Also…" Gray started hesitantly, drawing Natsu's focus back to the present, "…I…I'm thinking about moving there for the next little while."

"What?" the salmon haired boy hissed, his eyes wide.

"Are you insane?" Loke whapped the raven haired boy across the back of his head, "What on Earthland made you think that that was a good idea?"

"We don't have much time," Gray ground out, giving Loke a sharp shove on the shoulder in retribution, "The longer I'm up there, the more evidence I can gather."

"But once you pledge yourself to them like that, there's no guarantee that you'll come back out!" Natsu growled, "If they find out who you really are, they'll kill you!"

"Then its no different from the way things are now! I've known the risks since I first stepped foot into that church, and I'm prepared to face them," Gray shot back, his eyes narrowed at his rival, " _You're_ the one that told Lucy we'd save her no matter what it took. You're not the type of person to go back on your promises, and I'm not either." He clenched his jaw, huffing out a heavy breath before he finished, "I'm doing this, you guys, and you're not gonna stop me."

There were a few moments of tense silence before Natsu suddenly turned his back on the group, his arms folded over his chest as he sourly grumbled out, "Fine, frosty. Just do whatever you want."

Loke cleared his throat, licking his lips as he informed his raven haired friend, "We found out that Zentopia was in Hargeon before they came here. Natsu's gonna go there tomorrow to see what he can find, and we were gonna give Juvia a call, too, since she used to live there."

Gray nodded his head, still glaring at the salmon haired boy's back as he gave them more of his own information, "There were some rumors floating around the church today. I guess a detective from Magnolia came and spoke to Precht. People were saying that he even saw Lucy, too."

"You don't think it could be the same detective that we talked to, do you?" Loke asked, his brows furrowed. "He didn't believe a word we said though, so I wonder what made him go up there."

"I'll look into it," Natsu uttered, his back still turned to the group. "If Lucy told him something, I want to know what it was. And I ain't letting him get away until I find out."

* * *

Levy bit her bottom lip as she pressed herself up onto the balls of her feet in an attempt to peer over the backs of the booths in the bar, her eyes scanning over every table to find the pair she was searching for.

Her behavior attracted the attention of the bar's brunette waitress, a tray full of beer mugs balanced on one of her arms as she asked, "You looking for someone?"

"Yeah," Levy breathed out, finally settling back onto flat feet. "Are there two men that came in together about half an hour ago? I'm a bit late."

The waitress quirked a brow as she thought over the matter, "There's a pair in the back corner, but they've been drinking for about two hours by now."

"Those idiots," the blue haired girl hissed under her breath before giving the waitress one last smile, "Thanks, and I'd like a draft beer, please." Levy didn't waste a second more before charging through the bar towards the back, sliding into the booth across from her two coworkers, "Sorry to have kept you guys waiting."

The pair both lit up at her appearance, though Jet was clearly a bit tipsy if the red tint of his cheeks was anything to go by, and Droy's cheeks were stuffed with food as he asked, "So what excuse did you give them this time?"

"I told one of the apostles that it was my mom's birthday, so she gave me special permission to leave for the night. I have to be back before the sunrise service though," the blue haired girl huffed out. She leaned across the table, her voice dropping in volume, "So…did you guys look into it?"

Jet reached for an envelope that he'd placed on the bench beside him, passing it over the table to the girl, "Here." He watched on as she pulled out the sheet of paper inside, her brows furrowed as she scanned its contents. "It's not a drug that you can buy in stores," he informed, "It has to be prescribed by a physician. When given every day, it basically makes people stupid. You sure they're giving it to people there?"

Levy nodded her head, "And I haven't confirmed anything, but it's likely that they're giving it to more than just one patient."

"You need to get out of there, Levy," Droy spoke through a mouthful of food. "Send your evidence to the police and let them take care of it. You're a journalist, not a detective, so you shouldn't feel like you have to stay there."

"No way."

Jet's brows furrowed, "Why not?"

"This isn't enough," she ground out. "That girl I told you about, Lucy, I trust her, and she told me that she's had run-ins with both the police and a few doctors in town. They've always just ignored whatever she's told them, so I'm sure that bribery is in play. And this is just a hunch, but I don't think it's just a simple alliance between a religion and a political circle." She swallowed heavily, biting her lip as she confessed, "The whole of Magnolia might be thrown upside down once all of this comes to light."

* * *

Loke dove into the bushes from where he'd been standing in the center of the dirt road, his heart pounding in his chest as a car turned up the road behind him, its headlights shining on the place where he'd just stood. He'd come to get as many pictures of the paths in and out of Zentopia as he could to better prepare for their scheme and to upload in an attempt to gain more information, and although standing in the middle of the woods where a cult resided at midnight terrified the shit out of him, he'd come anyways, fully devoting himself to the cause they'd taken upon their little friend group. And besides, at least if he got kidnapped, his friends would report it right away, and then that'd give the police a solid reason to look into the church, one that couldn't refute.

He'd been taking pictures of the front gate when he'd heard the crunch of the dirt behind him, and in his panic, he'd only just barely managed to avoid being caught in the headlights, his instincts sending him tumbling behind a row of wild bushes just beside the front gate.

His eyes widened as the car came to a stop just before the gate, his focus scanning over the police logo on its side.

He'd recognize that car anywhere.

It was Laxus.

The cop exited his car as the gate was pushed open from the other side, and Loke's jaw clenched as he recognized the same blond apostle that'd given him quite the beating when they'd rescued Lucy on the bridge, the huge, pale man that Elfman had fought against following at his flank.

Laxus circled around his car to open the back door on the other side, reaching in to grasp the elbow of the man inside and pull him to his feet, "Get out."

"Where…where am I?" the drunk slurred, his head lulling from side to side as he tried to look around. "What is this place?"

The pair walked beyond Loke's range of hearing as they approached the gate, but his surprise at his brother's presence was quickly fading away, the drunk getting passed to the large, black haired man and led onto Zentopia's grounds. It was common knowledge that the law enforcement of Magnolia often took drunks to Zentopia to set them on a better course, though now that Loke knew the truth about the church, he had to wonder what happened to the drunks once they were taken inside.

Laxus and the blonde apostle exchanged a few quick words that Loke couldn't hear due to the distance, but he could see the pair just fine, and his eyes widened as he caught sight of the thick wad of cash being passed into his brother's hands.

He and his friends had known from the moment Lucy had been taken away again that Zentopia had ties with the police, but never, not in a thousand years, would he have ever guess that it would've been through his brother.

* * *

 **AN**

 **hehehehehe, the plot thickens. When I was talking about someone switching sides in my last AN, I was referring to Mest, although I do realize that he was never officialyl on Zentopia's side. There'll be more of him next chapter as Natsu goes to visit him and such, and we'll finally start getting down to business.**

 **Also, if you didn't make the connection, the girl Precht was talking about is Meredy. We'll get more on her later too, but it'll be from Ultear's perspective.**

 **I'll be posting the first chapter of my Christmas fic tomorrow, so I hope you'll stop by and give it a read :)**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading and see you next Friday!**


	16. Chapter 16: Into the Past

**Chapter Sixteen**

 **Into the Past**

Mest let out a subtle groan as he ascended the steps for his morning shift at the station, his already sour mood plummeting even further when he caught sight of the governor's salmon haired brother leaning on the glass right next to the front door, his arms folded over his chest.

"Not you again," the detective grumbled to himself.

"I know that you said it was difficult for any form of law enforcement to investigate a religious group," Natsu started, lifting his gaze from the ground to pin the detective with a pointed stare, "But if it was _your_ friend who was taken by a cult, would you still tell me sit still and do nothing?"

Mest pressed his lips into a grim line, shifting his weight between his feet. His opinion on the matter of Zentopia and the Heartfilia girl had been tested after meeting their so-called Spiritual Father and the blonde herself only yesterday, and although his thoughts were beginning to change, he still hadn't come to an exact conclusion on what to do with the new information he'd been given.

But, considering that he and the governor's brother might now share the same feelings towards Zentopia, he figured he could at least hear the Dragneel boy out this time, though he still sounded somewhat reluctant as he ground out, "What do you want, kid?"

The salmon haired boy clenched his jaw, "To be frank, after what you did to Gray and Lucy, I hate you, and I don't trust you one bit." His arms unfolded and fell back to his sides, his fists clenching as if it pained him to admit, "But I need your help."

Mest quirked a brow, having not expected the boy to ask for a such a thing after the way he'd treated the Fullbuster boy and the Heartfilia girl.

"When you went to Zentopia…did you meet Lucy?"

"How did you know that I went to Zentopia?"

"Doesn't matter." Natsu took a deep breath, his features hardening in determination as he endeavored to claim, "You know that whatever she told you while you were there wasn't true. Their using her mom as leverage to get her to do what they want. And I have information that I know you'd be interested in. You're investigating the case of that dead Mine girl, right? She used to argue with her father a lot because she asked for two thousand dollars in order to make it to paradise."

The detective's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "How do you know that?"

"Magnolia's a smaller town than you think. You found a dead body in the middle of the woods, so of course rumors are going to spread," the salmon haired boy stated evenly. "And you wanna know something else that's strange? In order for believers to become full-fledged members of Zentopia, they have to complete a three week basic spiritual training program." His voice dropped to emphasize his point as he ground out, "The training costs two thousand dollars."

Mest froze for a moment. Considering the body's proximity to the church and when information like that was taken account, Zentopia's connection to the girl's death was nearly irrefutable. His brows furrowed as he stared the salmon haired boy down, "How do you know so much about Zentopia?"

Natsu suddenly charged past the detective, his steps determined as he called over his shoulder on his way down the stairs, "I'll explain on the way."

"On the way to where, exactly?"

The salmon haired boy stopped at the bottom of the steps, turning back around to face the detective, "You're in, aren't you? I thought we were doing this."

Mest considered the options. He was in charge of the Mine girl's case, and his meeting with Lucy Heartfilia and the clergy of Zentopia undeniably had him intrigued. He was supposed to look into and investigate every lead he could get since a murder was definitely plausible, and if the salmon haired boy's claims about the church, or rather the _cult_ , as he'd called it, were true, then much more heinous crimes than he'd originally anticipated upon transferring to Magnolia could be at play.

He let out a heavy sigh, "Fine. We'll do this together then, Dragneel." He grabbed the boy's elbow and steered him away from the motorcycle he'd been preparing to mount, his hands digging in his pockets for his keys as he hissed, "But _I'm_ driving."

* * *

Lucy swallowed heavily, her eyes wide as she clenched her fingers around the glass Ultear had placed on the table in front of her. It was filled to the brim with a thick, brownish green liquid, and although the curious side of her brain was doing its best to determine what atrocities had been blended together to concoct such a horrid mixture, she really didn't want to know. It smelled putrid, and she was sure that it would taste even worse.

"It'll remove the toxins from your body," Ultear informed the blonde, her hands apathetically clasped behind her back and her features stone cold and lacking any sympathy as she stared at the horrified and disgusted blonde. "Remember, if you want your mother to get better, you must complete your training with faith. That means you have to drink all of it."

The blonde forcefully tore her gaze from the sludge and stared at the apostle instead, her hand quivering as she took a deep breath and raised the edge of the glass to her mouth. She had no idea what had been put into the putrid mixture, but she didn't care what it did to her. If it was for mother, she could do anything.

It tasted horrid and earthy, but at first, she figured that chugging it all down at once was the best option for getting it over with, her throat clenching as the liquid oozed down. Her stomach lurched involuntarily after the first few gulps, some of the liquid splattering across her cheeks, hair, and down the front of her pink dress as her body won the battle over her mind, her determination giving way at the taste and texture of the greenish brown sludge.

She slammed the still half-full glass back onto the table in front of her just as the second lurch wracked her frame, her body convulsing and sending her tumbling from her seat to the ground just as she lost her ability to hold her sickness back, vomit splattering across the floor.

Levy rushed to her fallen form from where she'd been standing quietly to the side, her brows pinched in worry as her hands floundered for something to do that would ease the blonde's suffering. But the vomit just kept coming, and the blunette settled for holding back the blonde's hair as she wretched, even though a few of the golden strands had already been soiled with the green sludge.

Heels clacked against the marble floor as Ultear slowly made her way around the table, crouching down at Lucy's side and placing a light hand on her back, "That's the rotten mass of sin that's been festering inside you. Purge all of it."

Lucy was only dry heaving now, and as she returned to her senses she realized that there were warm tears streaming down her cheeks. She also became aware of the cold touch on her back, her frame still wracked with chills, but her features set in a glare as she turned her head towards the dark haired apostle.

Ultear only apathetically stared back, holding out a cup of water that she'd retrieved from the table, "Here. This is Living Water that Spiritual Father blessed especially for you. It will help you recover enough to finish the glass."

The blonde reached out with a quivering hand, firmly holding the apostle's gaze as she took the glass and drank all of the water, chugging it 'til the very last drop.

* * *

Mest let out a heavy sigh and clenched his hands tighter around his steering wheel as he listened to the Dragneel boy argue with one of his friends over the phone, the purpose of their conversation completely lost on him. Driving two hours to Hargeon with the governor's brother wasn't how he'd imagined his day would go, and he'd tuned the salmon haired boy out through the majority of the journey, just like he was now, only listening to the information he deemed worthwhile, like the fact that the Dragneel boy had a friend who'd snuck into Zentopia.

"Thanks, Juvia," Natsu grumbled out before he hung up and tucked his phone in his pocket before he pointed west of where they were parked, "There'll be a real estate agency if we turn left at that intersection. The church should be around there somewhere." When the detective made no move to start the car, he turned to give him a questioning look, "What are you waiting for? Aren't you gonna go?"

Mest let out his second heavy sigh of the last three minutes as he turned to face the boy, "Do you wanna become a detective, kid?"

Natsu's eyes widened and he furrowed his brows in appalation, "Hell no."

"What then?"

His lips pursed as he thought over the question for a moment before he mumbled, "A prosecutor…maybe. You and your people are giving me second thoughts about doing anything related to law."

The detective drew back a bit in surprise before he dismissed the new information with a roll of his eyes, turning his keys in the ignition as he hissed, "Just put your damn seatbelt on, you brat."

* * *

While Natsu had been eager to finally contact someone who could give them information that held the potential to save Lucy, Warrod Sequen hadn't been what he'd expected. He'd thought anyone who was a past associate of Precht's would've been just as sinister and twisted, but the man before him was incredibly jolly. The pastor's skin was wrinkled and sun damaged beyond belief, but his hair was still incredibly healthy, growing out of his head at every direction in green bunches.

Natsu carefully pulled his phone out of his pocket and slid it onto the table between them, "Is it okay if I record our conversation?"

The old man gave him a nod, "Of course."

Mest cast the salmon haired boy a sideways glance before getting down to business, "It's true that Precht Gaebolg used to work here as a pastor, correct?"

"Yes," Warrod admitted reluctantly, shaking his head as if in shame, "Recalling those times gives me an unpleasant feeling."

The detective pulled out his own notebook to jot things down, "Did he do anything else other than embezzle the church's money?"

"After some investigation, my brethren and I discovered that his certificate of ordination was fake. He was such an eloquent speaker, that we never even considered he might be fooling us."

Natsu nodded his head, having paid witness to the preacher's unparalleled way with words. He swallowed heavily before clearing his throat, hesitantly asking, "Did…did he ever act strange towards any of your female believers?"

The pastor thought long and hard for a moment before he started, "Well…there was one woman who was particularly close with him, but there didn't seem to be anything romantic between the two of them. He seemed to be more like her father. She worked as a nurse before coming here with her foster daughter, you see, and they must've grown close as he listened to her hardships and prayed on her behalf."

Mest leaned across the table, his brows furrowed as he inquired, "Do you remember her name?"

"I just remember her as Apostle Milkovich, though her first name escapes me."

The detective clenched his jaw at the familiar name, "Then…what about a man with red eyes and long blonde hair?"

"Ah, you must be talking about Zancrow. He accompanied Precht and attended to him the entire time he served here. And there was this other big guy, too. I believe he was Zancrow's stepbrother. All I remember is that he was mute."

Mest and Natsu shared a look, as the preacher continued, "After Precht and his apostles left, I discovered that our church had somehow gone into the debt. All of our members' donations, and all of our other funding for our service projects was just…gone. Vanished without a trace."

* * *

Lucy whimpered as Levy helped her lay down on her bed, her head and chest aching with what she'd been forced to endure earlier. She'd finished the rest of the green liquid, but not without paying the price, her throat still burning from the bile and the horrid taste etched into her mouth.

Levy's brows were furrowed with concern as she pulled the blanket over her friend, her voice gentle as she informed the blonde, "I checked with my colleagues, and that they pill they were giving your mom is definitely a psychotropic drug. We just need proof that they've been giving it to her and the other patients, and then the police and prosecution won't be able to stay silent anymore." She placed her hand on top of the blonde's own, "So hang in there for just a bit longer, Lu." She let out a heavy sigh as she turned towards the door, "I have to go. Ultear said she wanted to meet with me."

"Wait, Lev. I have one more favor to ask of you," Lucy croaked out, her throat sore from her heaving. She reached beneath her pillow, slowly withdrawing a folded paper, "Please give this to Gray."

Levy carefully took it from her grasp, tucking it gently into one of her pockets, giving the blonde one last soft grin, "Stay strong, Lu. We'll get you out of here soon."

* * *

Layla wiggled her toes in her slippers, yearning to stand from the wheelchair Jude was pushing her around in and run through the gardens on her own two feet. But she hadn't fully regained her strength yet, and she had to keep up her act if she didn't want to be given the tranquilizer again.

She'd promised Sting that she would save Lucy, so she wasn't about to screw it all up by being impulsive.

"Dear…about Lucy…" she started softly, purposefully slurring some of her words to match how she supposed someone on the drugs she'd been given for the last three years might sound.

Jude slowly brought the wheelchair to a halt, leaning down to happily hum into her ear, "You needn't worry, honey. Lucy will be wed to Spiritual Father soon, and then we'll all be saved."

Her eyes swam with tears at her own husband's gullibility and his willingness to sell off their daughter, her voice quiet and fearful as she called, "Jude…"

He misinterpreted the tears in her eyes and the horror in her tone, crouching down in front of her with a warm grin on his features as he reached to take one of her hands between both of his own, "The Almighty guided our family here so that we could witness a miracle. Everything that's happened to us happened because he wanted to bestow blessings on Lucy and our family, and now she has been called to become our Spiritual Mother. Isn't it wonderful, dear?"

Layla only stared back at her husband blankly, tears numbly streaming down her cheeks, which he wiped away with a gentle thumb. The man before her bore no resemblance to the man she'd fallen in love with. He'd become something unrecognizable, something she was afraid of, and she didn't want to be by his side for a moment longer.

* * *

"Did you give Spiritual Mother the Living Water like I asked?"

Levy bobbed her head in a single nod, a bright smile on her features, "Yes, Apostle Milkovich."

Ultear tilted her head to the side a fraction, her eyes piercing as she examined the blue haired girl, "And are you happy with your current calling?"

"Of course!" Levy brightly professed, "Being able to serve our Spiritual Mother is a great blessing. I'm very grateful towards the Almighty."

The apostle nodded her head, her eyes shifting to the side for a moment before she fixed her stare back on the girl, "Sister McGarden…what did you say your job was before you came to Zentopia?"

The blue haired girl's bright smile faded a small fraction, "I was getting ready to go to college, but then I met our Almighty and realized that I wasn't on the right path. That's why I chose to come to Zentopia."

"I see," Ultear's lips quirked in the smallest of smiles. "You can return to your work."

The blue haired girl gave the apostle one last nod in farewell before she turned to go back to Lucy, her nerves tingling with anxiety. She'd been at her act for over three months now, and had spoken with Ultear countless times. But something about that conversation had felt different, though she couldn't put her finger on it, an unexplainable, foreboding feeling settled heavily on her chest.

* * *

Erza's smile faded as she stepped through the front door of her mother's home, her eyes widening and her hand slipping from her fiancé's as she charged forward, her body tense with terror.

All of the furniture inside was flipped upside down, papers, envelopes, and books scattered across the floor and new gashes tearing their way through the walls. One of the legs on the kitchen table had been broken, and the glass of the frames on the wall of the entry had been shattered, their pieces coating the hardwood floor in a dangerous layer.

"What happened?" Jellal asked quietly, taking a hesitant step to stand at her side as his eyes scanned over the wreckage.

The redhead didn't answer, inhaling deeply as she desperately called, "Mom!"

Her eyes had found Eileen tucked into the far corner of the kitchen, her head hung and her frame trembling with sobs.

Erza charged forward and collapsed by her side, her hands gripping her mother's forearms, "Mom! What happened?"

The scarlet hair woman lifted her head, tears streaming down her cheeks, "They took it all, Erza. It's all gone!"

Jellal crouched down to pluck a clump of light brown envelopes from the floor, his brows furrowing as he read over the word 'tithing,' his eyes scanning over the scribbled writing on each.

' _Please help my daughter stay healthy.'_

' _Please help my daughter be happy.'_

' _Please help me and my daughter board the Ship of Salvation.'_

Fury shadowed Erza's features in response to her mother's words, "It was the lone sharks, wasn't it? What have I told you?! I told you to come to me if you needed money! There's no way you can keep living like this!"

"But there _is_ a way, Erza!" Eileen pressed, her hands shooting to her daughter's forearms and gripping her tightly, "It's Zentopia! I've given them everything I have, so I know we'll be saved! They'll help us!"

Erza inhaled sharply at the mention of the church, her thoughts turning back to a terrified blonde and a group of four boys that had sat in her apartment not even a week before, tales of the cult in the forest passing between them. Her features burned with anger, "Are you insane?! _That's_ who you've been giving all your money to?!"

"Money means nothing! It will only make our souls suffer!" She suddenly pitched forward, wincing as she clutched at her middle.

Erza's eyes widened, her anger snapping away as her worry for her mother took over, "What's wrong?!"

"It's nothing. I'm fine," Eileen insisted, though her teeth were still clenched in pain.

The scarlet haired girl dove forward, grasping onto the hem of her mother's shirt and yanking it upwards before the woman could stop her. Jellal gasped and her eyes filled with tears as she caught sight of the horrid purple and red bruises that coated her mother's entire stomach, her quivering hands losing their grip on the shirt as she choked out, "Mom?...What the hell happened?"

"It's nothing," Eileen finally managed to get her pain under control, gripping both of her daughter's hands in a failed attempt at reassurance.

"Did…did someone hurt you? Was it those loan sharks?"

"No, it wasn't them," the woman hurriedly huffed out, "I didn't get these bruises because someone hit me. I got them from the fire prayers." She took a deep breath, devotedly continuing on with her explanation despite the horror on her daughter's and future son-in-law's faces, "And they're not bruises. They're the manifestations of sin." Her voice grew choked, "I've committed so many sins, Erza…so many…I deserve to feel the pain…"

The woman broke out into full on sobs as she collapsed forward into her daughter's chest, the scarlet haired girl hugging her tight as her own tears slid down her cheeks.

Jellal watched his fiancé and future mother-in-law in silence, his hands clenching into fists at his sides in fury.

Zentopia.

They'd hurt Eileen, and by doing so, they'd made Erza cry. For that, he would make them pay.

* * *

" _Where are you, man?"_

"On my way to meet an informant," Loke grumbled out, shoving his hands further into the pockets of his green sweatshirt in a feeble attempt at keeping warm in the cold night.

" _I thought we agreed to meet up tonight?"_ Natsu's voice carried through the speaker of his phone, sounding weirdly excited, which was an unusual emotion for the salmon haired boy as of late, _"I just got back from Hargeon with some big news."_

The orange haired boy wasn't in the mood for another group meeting, nor did he really want to talk to Natsu at all for the moment, "Do you want me to get more information on Zentopia or not? Remember, I'm doing this because _you're_ the one that wanted to save Lucy. You can't get mad at me for doing my part."

There was a moment of silence before a heavy breath carried through the speaker of his phone, _"Fine. See you tomorrow then?"_

"Whatever," Loke ground out before he hung up and shoved his phone in his pocket, his gaze on the ground as he trudged to the street corner where he and his informant had agreed to meet. He knew better than to take his frustration out on his friends, but it was hard to act normal and go about life as usual when he felt like that life had just been turned upside down, because Laxus, _his own fucking brother_ , was working with Zentopia.

He wasn't sure he could ever face his friends again after making such a discovery, and the amount of shame, anger, and shock that he felt had all melded together in a vicious ball of turmoil inside him. His brain was muddled with all the possibilities of what he should and shouldn't do now that he knew, and all of the thoughts raging inside of his head kept him from thinking clearly. One thing that was clear to him though was that the race to take down Zentopia had just become much more dire.

He would take down the church no matter what it took, not just for Lucy's sake, but for his brother's, too. He wouldn't let Laxus be entangled with something as corrupt as bribery, and he'd drag him out of the horrid mess he'd gotten himself into even if it killed him.

With that determination driving him, he charged forward to the corner where he'd planned to meet his informant, fully intent on doing everything he possibly could to gather the information needed to take down Zentopia.

As he was crossing the street towards the corner, a car suddenly revved to life in the adjacent alley, its headlights momentarily blinding him. Before he could move so much as an inch, the engine roared closer, the front of the car slamming into him and sending him flying out into the middle of the road.

He felt his body hit the pavement and heard his glasses shatter as they were thrown from his face, and then the world went white.

* * *

Gray tucked himself into his usual bathroom stall, taking Loke's glasses from his face before settling on top of the toilet and pulling the note Levy had quietly handed to him from his pocket.

 _They've been giving my mom some really strange drug, but Levy helped her get off of it, so her mind's slowly recovering. If we can find more evidence about the drugs they've been giving their patients, Levy will take it back to Magnolia Daily and they'll make it public knowledge._

 _Also, I found out that this isn't the first time Precht has tried to make someone Spiritual Mother. He didn't state it clearly, but I'm fairly certain that he raped her, and she killed herself because of it. If we look into his past before he came to Magnolia, I'm sure that we'll find something else we can use against him._

 _Precht's decided that the wedding will take place in thirty days, but I have confidence that we'll take this place down before then. So please, be careful until then._

 _-Lucy_

He let out a heavy sigh at the new information on Precht, not at all surprised but still disgusted as he twisted around to remove the cover of the vent that spanned the ledge behind the toilet. Natsu had lent him Wendy's old phone before he'd moved to the church for three weeks to complete their training, along with the two thousand dollars needed to enter the program. Gray wasn't sure how his salmon haired friend had gotten his hands on such a hefty sum of cash, though he was sure that theft and Zeref had something to do with it.

Figuring that carrying around a phone would pose a risk, he'd found a decent hiding spot for it in one of the men's bathrooms, and thus far, everything had worked without a hitch. No one seemed to suspect him of being anything other than the clumsy, good natured college student he'd made himself out to be.

He snapped a picture of Lucy's note, making sure the text was clear before sending it on to his salmon haired rival.

Natsu texted back almost immediately, ' _I'll look into him some more, but I went to Hargeon with that detective today like I said I would. We went to the church he used to work at, and found out that he embezzled money and bought his ordination certificate. It seems like he had a few problems with some girl while he was there too. We should be able to take them down soon, so we'll start working on your guys' escape plan.'_

' _Got it.'_

Gray didn't bother sending more than those two words in response, knowing that he couldn't sit in the stall for forever without risking someone coming in and possibly finding out about his hide out, triple-checking that the phone was on silent as he tucked it back into the vent.

He slid Loke's glasses back onto his face as he exited the bathroom, wiping the cold look from his face as he ventured back out into the main hallway, which he found to be empty of any presence other than the two men hurriedly charging away from where he stood. The raven haired boy's brows furrowed as he recognized Zancrow and Kain from behind, his eyes widening as he realized that one of Kain's hands was coated with blood, a single drop of the red liquid pattering onto the white marble floor.

* * *

Loke panicked into awareness when he tried to cough up the liquid clinging to the inside of his throat, something wet and musty blocking his mouth and preventing him from clearing his airways. He spluttered as he instinctively shot into a sitting position in an attempt to breathe better, a groan tumbling from his mouth as his body screamed at the movement. He made to press a hand against his abdomen, but he found that his hands were restrained behind him, his shoulders aching with how long his limbs had been contorted in the natural pose. It was then that he realized the thing blocking his mouth was a cloth gag, and as his vision cleared, he finally began to understand what had happened and why he'd woken up in the situation he had. He didn't have his glasses, but he could clearly tell that he was lying on a dirty, cold cement ground, steel walls surrounding him on all sides.

The informant had been a fake, and he'd been so fucking stupid for agreeing to meet up with someone he didn't know. Weren't all children nowadays taught not to trust strangers they'd met online? He'd been too confident in his own judgement and too caught up in what had happened with Laxus to think clearly, and now it had cost him dearly.

The steel door in the corner of the room creaked raucously as it was shoved open, his suspicions confirmed when two men charged inside, the blond at the head of the pair storming up to him to fist a hand in the front of his collar, tugging him to his feet and slamming him against the wall as he hissed, "Do you realize who you're messing with now?"

Loke heaved for air through his gag, blood spurting onto the cloth with his exhale.

He'd been taken to Zentopia, and it seemed they weren't ready to forgive him for what he and his friends had done to their apostles when they'd rescued Lucy, Zancrow tugging him away from the wall only to shove him back against it as he ground out, "Who are they?"

The orange haired boy gasped for air as the gag was tugged from his mouth, his head spinning as he mumbled, "What…what are you…talking about?"

"Those other two little _rats_ that have been snooping around with you," the blond apostle seethed.

"I work alone," Loke ground out through his pain and the blood in his mouth. He'd never sell out his friends like that, not even if they tortured him.

Zancrow's fist met his jaw in a powerful blow, the orange haired boy's vision blacking out as his head slammed against the floor, the bindings on his wrists preventing him from catching himself.

The blonde apostle crouched down to retie the gag in his mouth while Loke was still disoriented, chuckling cruelly to himself as he stood and gave his grim promise, "I'll be back to play with you later."

* * *

Lucy clasped her hands reverently in front of herself as she watched her father kneel before her, Jude facing the red cross that spanned the back of the chapel. He pressed his hands together in front of his chest and bowed his head, his voice soft as he began, "Lucy, you're completing your training faithfully, right? Your wedding with Spiritual Father is just around the corner, so you should clear your mind of all negative thoughts. You should become like a blank slate in order to accept the Almighty and Spiritual Father with all of your heart on that day."

"Dad," the blonde took a deep breath, her eyes never leaving the cross, "There's something I want to ask you."

"Of course, dear. What is it?"

"After the wedding, will I…will I have to sleep with Spiritual Father?" Her hunch told her that such was the case, but she wanted to hear it clearly from someone who knew exactly what a Spiritual Wedding entailed. Her father had become close to Precht over the last three years, almost as close as Ultear, Zancrow, and Kain were to the preacher, so she was sure that he knew exactly what was going to happen to her in thirty days' time. Ultear had been incredibly vague when explaining the process of the wedding to her, so she wanted to know; wanted to hear someone clearly state whether or not sex with the old man was inevitable.

There was silence for a few moments as her father stood, his voice lacking all of its former pleasantness, though he still spoke softly as he turned to face her, "Lucy, that isn't what the wedding is about. That's how he'll baptize you, and turn you fully into his wife so that your journey to becoming Spiritual Mother will be complete. We'll all finally find salvation, so you don't have to worry about a thing."

The blonde still hadn't bothered to tear her focus away from the cross so she could look at him as she spoke, her voice lacking any tangible emotion, "What if I refuse to be 'baptized?' What will happen to me?"

He stepped in front of her, finally cutting the cross off from her line of sight. He reached down to gently grasp both of her hands, his voice heavy as he inquired, "Lucy, why would you even think about such things? Just focus on praying faithfully and you'll do well."

"So in the end," she lowered her gaze to the floor as she grimly stated, "I have to give him my everything. That's the only way this can all be over."

Her father's response was lost on her ears as the doors to the chapel slammed open, and with the way her father's face paled, she knew right away that the new entry wasn't someone good, at least not in his opinion.

She whipped around to see who it was just as her father shoved her protectively behind him, her brown eyes widening as she caught sight of the stranger, with his blue hair and maroon tattoo. The man was kneeling down as he unscrewed the lid of a large gas can he'd brought inside with him, a twin can resting on his other side.

"Who are you?" Jude ground out, taking slow, cautious steps towards the man, "How did you get in here?"

"You fuckers made my fiancée cry and hurt her mom," he hissed out as he stood, clutching the opened can of gas in one of his hands as he stood and charged towards the stand, "You need to pay for what you did!"

Jude tried to stop his charge, but ended up getting tossed aside like it was nothing, the blue haired boy shoving him away with only one arm and storming past the blonde girl and onto the stand.

Lucy was frozen in place as she watched the blue haired man slosh the gasoline all over the pulpit and the books of holy Zentopia scripture that rest atop it with wide eyes, torn between trying to stop him to keep up her act of being faithful and letting him destroy the chapel so that she could watch the church burn. Her indecisiveness kept her glued to the spot, her fingers woven through the tresses of her pink skirt in anxiety.

Her father finally recovered from his tumble, shooting to his feet and screeching, "Stop!"

The blue haired man successfully stopped Jude's approach once more, his eyes narrowed in a threat as he held a lighter precariously above the pulpit he'd just doused with gasoline, his voice low as he hissed, "Take one step closer, and I'll set this whole place ablaze."

* * *

Gray's brows furrowed as he heard shouting emanating through the door that led onto the stand of the chapel from behind, stepping quietly across the marble floor of the hallway to press his ear against the crack between the door and the wall.

"Lucy! Get out of here now!"

His eyes widened. Lucy was in danger, and that sure as hell seemed like good enough of a reason for him to go inside.

His eyes widened even further if possible at what greeted his gaze, never having expected to find Jellal towering over the pulpit before the two Heartfilias, a lit lighter in his grasp.

He had no idea how such a situation had occurred, but one thing that was certain was that Lucy looked terrified, and to set her fears at ease, he'd do everything he could, even if it meant attacking one of his friends.

He charged across the stand with a battle cry, his hands shooting to clench on top of Jellal's own, a wrestle beginning between the two and the raven haired boy restraining a curse as the small flame briefly seared across his skin before being snuffed out. He kept struggling against Jellal's strength as he turned to scream over his shoulder at Jude, "Get out of here! Take Spiritual Mother and go!"

Trusting that Lucy's father would follow through his command, he focused back on his fight, turning to find Jellal staring at him with wide eyes, " _What?_ Why are _you_ here?" His features contorted with blind rage, his fist shooting out and slamming against Gray's jaw, sending Loke's glasses flying from his face, "You're one of them?!"

The raven haired boy caught himself as he was sent tumbling to the floor, looking up just in time to make eye contact with Lucy as her father drug her from the room by her wrist. Her eyes were wide with worry as she stared back him, obviously resisting her father's tug out of concern for him.

Gray gave her a small nod of his head, just barely managing to get his message across before Jellal reached down to snatch his elbow, yanking him back to his feet.

He dodged the blue haired man's next punch, ducking beneath his swinging arm, his own hands shooting back up to fist in the collar of the other man's shirt. He shoved Jellal backwards, pressing his forearm against the blue haired man's neck as he pinned him against the back wall of the stand, just beside the red cross. His features hardened as he hissed through clenched teeth, "Listen to me carefully, Jellal. _I'm not one of them._ I want to kill them all just as much as you do."

Jellal's legs kicked at Gray's shins in fury, but to no avail, his features wild with anger, "Then why are you stopping me?!"

"Didn't you once tell me that you want to make a lot of money so you can live with your fiancée in a nice place?!" Gray spat back, keeping the man pinned tightly against the wall despite the way the rage faded from Jellal's features, "Going to jail for murder is gonna destroy any chance you had at achieving that dream." He finally withdrew his arm and stepped back, the blue haired man staying numbly stuck against the wall, "I'm gonna destroy this place no matter what. So please, just trust me and leave."

"Where is he?"

"In the chapel!"

Gray panicked as voices began to sound from the other side of the chapel doors, his hands returning to his friend's collar in an attempt to pull him out of his daze as he hissed, "Jellal, punch me, then get the fuck out of here!"

The blue haired man only blinked blankly as he fought to get a hold of himself once more, "I…what?"

"Punch me!" the raven haired boy clenched his jaw as he desperatedly begged, "Punch me!"

The chapel doors flew open, and a small crowd of Zentopia's believers rushed inside just in time to see Jellal plant his fist in Gray's jaw, the raven haired boy tumbling down the steps of the stand and landing heavily on the marble floor at the bottom.

The majority of the group charged after the blue haired man as he shot through the door Gray had entered through, but a pair of younger men stayed to check on Gray, gently helping him stand as they worried, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," the raven haired boy politely brushed them off once he was on his feet, clutching his jaw as he reached down to pluck Loke's glasses from where they'd been sent flying. He thanked God they weren't broken, knowing his orange haired friend probably would've killed him for ruining his spare pair. He slid them back onto his nose before clutching at his jaw once more. Jellal definitely hadn't held back either time he'd punched him, and he was sure that his face was going to be sporting a nasty bruise tomorrow.

The two male believers still stood at his sides as he turned around, and their grasps returned to his elbows when he stumbled upon taking his first step, helping him walk towards the pair that stood waiting for him at the chapel doors even though he didn't really need their help. He milked every minute of their aid while he could though, figuring it might add to his act of still being the clumsy, helpless college kid, leaning heavily on them as he came face to face with Precht and Zancrow.

The blond apostle smirked as he looked his frame up and down, "I thought you were slow-witted, but it seems you've got some guts after all."

Gray sniffled as he wiped his hand beneath his nose, throwing in a half-hearted, clumsy smile as he professed, "I was just trying to protect Spiritual Mother."

Precht quirked a brow as if intrigued, "And why would you feel like you had to do such a thing."

The raven haired boy shrugged, "I was told that she'll cleanse us of our original sin." He feigned uncertainty and self-doubt, "Is...is that wrong?"

"You have such a pure heart," the preacher hummed happily, his lips quirking in the slightest of grins. "The Almighty will make great use of you."

* * *

Natsu eagerly shifted in his seat as his unofficial 'partner' took a seat across from him, the two seated in the salmon haired boy's normal booth at the Fairy Tail bar, "So, what did the chief of police say?"

Mest took a deep breath, his focus dropping to the half-drunken beer in front the salmon haired boy before he shot forward to wrap his hand around the handle, "Let me have some of this before I start."

Natsu lifted his brows as the detective chugged the rest of beer before slamming it back on the table and letting out a hearty, heavy sigh, "The police force is an organization, and I'm a part of it."

The salmon haired boy narrowed his eyes as he ground out, "So you did you call me here just to tell me that you can't investigate?"

"You know that we have nothing concrete. All we have is rumors and a few iffy testimonies. My superior isn't going to allow us to start an investigation based on evidence that we discovered by word-of-mouth alone. We need proof."

"Proof?" Natsu repeated, his brows furrowed in anger, "How is that preacher's testimony not enough for them? We'll find the account books and his fake certificate soon enough. That's forgery, fraud, embezzlement, _and_ sexual assault."

Mest didn't respond, only silently plucking a peanut from the platter in the center of their table and tossing it into his mouth.

Natsu's jaw clenched in annoyance and frustration, "Ya know, when you first transferred here, people would say you were a competent detective from Crocus who was going change Magnolia for the better. But I can clearly see that that's not the case. You've been here for six years, and you haven't done shit."

Mest's lips twitched in indignation and he chucked a peanut at the Dragneel boy, which he easily dodged, "You wanted my help, didn't you? I know you're the governor's spoiled brat of a little brother, so you've always had things go your way, but I would've thought that growing up would teach you a few things about the way the world works." He ignored the glare the salmon haired boy shot his way at the mention of his brother, popping another peanut into his mouth before he grumbled, "Now, who's this friend of yours that snuck into Zentopia?"

"You don't need to know that," Natsu spat, his hands clenched into fists atop the table.

"What?" the detective let out a single, insincere laugh, "You think me knowing would mess up your plans?"

"I don't want to put them in danger, regardless of the fact you're on our side now."

Mest huffed out a heavy breath, "Fine, kid. Have it your way."

* * *

"You should return to your room for the night, Gray, and get some rest after the day you've had."

"Thank you," the raven haired boy gave Ultear a soft grin and a polite nod of his head before he started off down the hallway in the other direction and rounded the corner that lead out of the church and towards the boarding building, heading back to his room to crash like she'd advised. She'd given him some pain meds for his jaw, but he knew there was no way in hell he'd be taking them, not after what he'd heard about Lucy's mom.

"Well, you seem to be working hard, as always."

He froze in his steps as he heard the voice, spinning to press his back against the wall and scooting further down the wall to eavesdrop when he realized that Zancrow must've come to find Ultear, and was now conversing with the dark haired apostle just around the corner.

"We're getting fewer and fewer offerings these days," Zancrow stated, obviously faking his pleasant tone. "If we run out of funds, we'll have to send all of our believers back to evil world outside. So please, try a little harder Apostle Milkovich."

"What are you suggesting I should do?"

Gray's brows furrowed at the spite in the woman's tone. Never had he heard Ultear sound so sharp, so venomous.

"A revival service should suffice."

The raven haired boy heard Ultear scoff, "You think we can have a revival service whenever we please? And with the Spiritual Wedding fast approaching, when would I have the time to prepare for such a thing?"

"Don't be so fussy."

"It was your greed for money that made that detective come here," the dark haired apostle spat.

"You're accusing an innocent man," Zancrow heartily chuckled, a pompous lilt to his tone, "I was saved by the Almighty too, so don't pretend like you're all high and mighty."

"You didn't come here seeking salvation," Ultear sharply jabbed, "You came here for money. You really think that Spiritual Father and I don't know that? You've taken your fair share of our donations, so please just leave and never come back. Spiritual Father and I don't need you to keep Zentopia going."

The blond apostle let out a dark chuckle before he cruelly purred, "Ultear…you're biting the hand that feeds you. It seems you've forgotten," his voice dropped, "But I will _never_ forget."

"Stop bringing back the demons of the past and leave this-"

Gray's eyes widened when the woman's voice cut off all at once, a slam echoing through the hallway followed by a gasp for air and a choking sound. His brows furrowed. Was Zancrow…strangling Ultear?

Zancrow's voice soon sounded out in a dangerous snarl, "Your husband…the man you _murdered_ for abusing you and your foster daughter…Let's not forget who it was that pulled the strings to keep you from going to prison. And now, you're telling the man that saved you to leave?"

Another choking noise sounded out before Ultear strained, "It wasn't you who saved me! It was the Almighty! He merely used you for his plan!"

"I saved you, and now you're saying that it wasn't me?" the blonde apostle let out another dark, bitter chuckle, "Now I understand why you've held your head so high all this time. Do you know why I've stuck around? Why I've kept your good favor? Do you think it's because I'm threatened by you and Precht?" His voice grew darker, "It's because you and Precht are nothing more than a cash cow to me. I humor you just because it keeps you oblivious and happy."

Gray clenched his fists as he heard the information, fighting to remember every word.

"Let go of me, you demon! Let go!"

The raven haired boy heard a gasp and the sound of something sliding against the wall, shortly followed by the sound of something collapsing to the floor.

The dark haired apostle continued to hack as she desperately sucked in air, Zancrow lowly speaking over the sound of her heaving, "Do you get it now, Ultear? Do you see who really holds power around here?"

Gray pressed himself harder against the wall as Zancrow stalked past the hallway he was hiding in, but the blond apostle didn't even glance his way.

From what he could hear, Ultear was still gasping for air on the floor, so he quietly snuck down the hallway and out the door before she could stand and discover him there.

He never would've thought he'd hear such a conversation take place between the two apostles, though, in retrospect, the idea of any form of comradery existing in Zentopia was absolutely absurd. All of the people here were twisted and evil, and for them to care about anyone except themselves would've been a miracle.

* * *

 **AN**

 **Whew...lots happened this chapter. Did you like the partnership of Mest and Natsu? And was it cool to see Jellal and Erza come back in, and they're engaged no less? They'll be back later, too :) Plus, we got some more information on Zentopia's past...and poor Loke...**

 **Also, shameless plug: If you haven't checked out my Christmas fic, A Tale of 25 Decembers, the first seven chapters have been posted ;)**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading! I think we may have only about five or six chapters left, but I'll let you know as we get closer!**

 **See ya next Friday!**


	17. Chapter 17: Delirium

**Chapter Seventeen**

 **Delirium**

Gray checked to make sure the hallway was clear before tucking himself into the room labeled as belonging to 'Mrs. Heartfilia,' slowly pulling the door shut behind him so as not to make any noise. He slid Loke's glasses from his nose and tucked them safely into one of his front pockets as he turned to walk down the short hallway that led into the room, wanting to talk to Layla as Gray, not as the clumsy persona he'd taken upon himself while in Zentopia.

The blonde woman was laid on her side in her hospital bed, her eyes open, but blankly staring off at nothing.

He approached her warily, a tiny bit unsure of himself since he'd never met her before as he hesitantly called, "Mrs. Heartfilia?"

She didn't respond, only still numbly staring off into space as if she hadn't heard his words.

"You…you don't have to keep acting in front of me," he gave her a gentle grin, "I'm Lucy's friend."

"Her friend?" Layla's suddenly wide eyes snapped to him, the woman hurriedly pushing herself up as a flurry of questions tumbled from her lips, "Where is she? Why hasn't she come to see me? What are they doing to her?"

The raven haired boy crouched down in front of her, his hands floating through the air, not knowing how to calm the woman before him, "Lucy wanted me to tell you that you don't need to worry about her, and she needs you to hang in there just a little while longer."

"I need to see her," Layla made to shoot from the bed, her limbs exhaustedly fighting against the sheets she was entangled in, "I need to go and protect my baby!"

He set a heavy hand on one of her shoulders, gently and easily keeping her from standing, "I know it's hard, but you need to stay calm. You've just come back to your senses, and you can't do much to help her when you're like this. For now, it would be best if you kept acting until your body recovers. That's the only way we're gonna be able to deceive these people and get you and Lucy out safely."

The woman's eyes welled with tears as she stared at him in stillness for a moment, but she was quickly relaxing back into the bed, solemnly nodding her head, "I…I understand."

"Good," Gray nodded, "I should probably get going. I just wanted you to know you and Lucy aren't on your own in here, and that Lucy's staying strong."

"Wait…" Layla caught his wrist as he spun to leave, her fingers desperately and tightly curling around his arm as she pleaded, "When you see Lucy next, tell her that…that I'm sorry," her voice became choked as she held back a sob, "I'm so so so sorry, and that I love her."

Gray stared back at her numbly for a moment, his thoughts naturally turning to his own mother at Layla's request. It'd been _years_ since she'd killed herself, and he'd lived more of his life without her than he had with. He barely remembered a thing about her, too, only knowing that once, she had been and now she wasn't. He'd never received an apology from her for leaving him behind with an abusive father, and he couldn't remember a time when she'd said she loved him, nor would he ever hear her say it. He wasn't going to waste time being jealous though, knowing that nothing would come of it. So instead, he chose to honor what Lucy and her mother had, resting his hand atop hers as he firmly avowed, "I will. And we'll get you both out of here soon. I promise."

* * *

Lucy bit her bottom lip as she followed Levy to the patch of clear land that had become her and Gray's regular meeting point, her fingers anxiously tangled in the fabric of her knee length skirt. Her clothes definitely weren't meant for hiking, but it wasn't like Zentopia provided her with any clothes other than modest skirts and blouses, Ultear in particular insisting that she always look her best in order to be an example for the members of Zentopia.

Knowing they didn't have much time, Gray didn't offer the pair of girls any greetings other than a quick, half-assed grin when they entered the patch of clear land, instead getting straight to the point.

"I found a file of medical records," he passed the blonde the manila folder he'd found, which was thick with a large stack of papers.

Lucy's brows furrowed as she flipped open the front flap and caught sight of the name at the top of the very first page.

 _Patient: Lucy Heartfilia_

 _Suffering from depression and amnesia. Zolpidem prescribed._

"What?" she hissed under her breath, casting Gray a look of confusion.

He only nodded his head, his lips pressed into a grim line as he gestured for her to keep reading.

She flipped through the pages, her brows furrowing further, "All of the believers are listed as patients. Why?"

She passed the folder to Levy, the blue haired girl biting her bottom lip as she flipped through the stack of papers as well, "If they make it seem like they have more patients to fill prescriptions for, the more drugs they have access to. Increasing the number of patients makes them qualify for state subsidies, too." She let out a tiny gasp when she found something new, turning the folder in her hands and holding it out for the other two to see, "Look. Precht signed them all in the space for the sanatorium director's signature."

"You think this is enough for the police to finally investigate?" Gray asked hopefully. He was still fully willing to remain in Zentopia for as long as he needed to in order to get Lucy out, but the people and the vibe of the church were really starting to get on his nerves, and the sooner he could be free of it, the better.

Levy solemnly shook her head, "Given what happened to Lucy in the past, I don't think we can trust any form of the law enforcement in Magnolia." When she lifted her gaze, her features showed determination, her voice firm as she informed, "But I have a friend who works at a broadcasting station in Crocus. If we make this public knowledge, not just to the citizens of Magnolia, but to all of Fiore…no one will be able to ignore it. If it reaches that scale, the Magnolia police won't be able to just stand still any longer. If I want to catch the van back into the valley for the night, I'll have to leave right away." She gave them both a nod, the folder hugged safely to her chest as she turned and ran just like she'd said she would, not giving them a chance to say anything in response. They watched as her head of blue haired disappeared amongst the trees, her steps fading into the natural noises of the forest around them.

Lucy bit her bottom lip, an uneasily sense of anticipation creeping over her senses now that they were actually getting somewhere with their planning. She turned to the boy beside her, knowing that it was largely thanks to him, "Gray…Thank you."

He let out a heavy sigh, one corner of his lips quirking in a half-smile, "You really need to stop saying that, Lucy. Besides, this is all happening because of you. You didn't give up. You kept fighting against them."

The blonde curled into herself in response to his praise. She'd never considered herself particularly strong, and when she thought back on things, it was the moments of weakness, the moments when she'd failed, that stuck out the most. Sting's and Romeo's deaths, her near beating in the parking lot of the police station, bawling in Natsu's arms while Loke sped away from the Zentopia van they'd stolen her from, only to return to the church the very next day. Even now, she wasn't doing much to contribute to her own rescue. She was obediently doing everything Ultear and Precht wanted, bending to their every beck and call.

That wasn't strength. It was cowardice. People like Natsu and Gray were strong, but she wasn't. If she had strength, she wouldn't have been stuck in this church for three years, stupidly waiting for her father to come to his senses instead of forcing her parents to leave the moment she'd realized that something was horribly wrong with Zentopia. Her father was lost entirely now, and her mother was suffering, the last three years of her life lost to the haze of the drugs that'd been forced upon her.

As if he knew where her thoughts resided, Gray quietly informed her, "I…I talked with your mom earlier."

Her eyes went wide, her focus whipping back towards the raven haired boy, "You did?"

He hummed in affirmation and nodded his head, "She promised me that she'd do everything she could to get better so that you didn't have to worry, and she asked me to tell you that she loves you."

Lucy felt her eyes sting with tears, but she bit them back, blinking her eyes to get rid of the feeling. She'd waited three long years to hear those words from her mother's lips, and although they'd come to her by Gray's voice, she trusted the raven haired boy not to lie, which meant that Layla really had said them, and that was all the motivation to keep going that she needed.

The blonde didn't inherently possess the strength needed to accomplish her goals, but when she thought of her mother and Sting, when she thought of Natsu, of the promise she'd made to him and all that he and Gray, Loke, and Elfman had done for her, and when she thought of Levy, too, she felt like she could do anything, because family and friends was where her true strength resided.

* * *

"Sister McGarden, where do you keep going these days?"

Levy gave the sister who'd asked her the question a polite smile, pausing midway into the van that would take her back into the valley as she lied with ease, "My mom's ill. I'm the only person that can take care of her."

"Apostle Milkovich is looking all over for you," another sister joined the first, the two women staring at the girl with dead gazes. "You should see her before you go."

Levy froze for a moment, an internal battle taking place inside her head as she thought over what to do. She wanted to get to Crocus as soon as possible, but if she refused, in front of the two sisters and a van full of believers, suspicion would undoubtedly be raised, and extra attention wasn't what she needed, not when they were so close to finally accomplishing their goal of taking down Zentopia.

She pressed her lips into a thin line as she tossed her bag, with the file inside, onto her seat in the van, telling the driver to wait for her as she turned to give the two sisters a nod.

* * *

Levy's lips were still pressed into a grim line as she stepped into Zentopia's laundry room, the two sisters standing directly at her sides.

Ultear was standing before one of the open-top washing machines, and Levy's brows furrowed when she realized that there wasn't a single laundry basket in sight, which meant that there probably weren't any clothes in the machine, but still, it was turned to its roughest setting if the harsh sound of the churning water was anything to go by.

One of the women beside Levy informed the apostle, "We brought her."

Something felt off, but Levy decided that the best thing to do was to still play innocent, her voice light and full of confusion as she asked, "Why did you want to see me, Apostle Milkovich?"

Ultear still didn't turn from the washing machine, her voice barely audible over its hum as she pressed, "Where did you say you were going when you left two days ago?"

Levy adopted an anxious smile as she shifted on her feet, her nerves getting the best of her and slipping into her voice, no matter how much she fought against them, "I…I told you, I had to go visit my mom for her birthday."

The apostle was still for a few moments before she finally shoved herself away from the machine with a heavy intake of breath, still not looking at the blue haired girl as she began to pace, "I feel like there are so many devils in this place these days. I should've been more careful to not let them come here in the first place."

Levy was frozen in place with wide eyes, a chilling cold spreading through her limbs and numbing them so that she almost didn't feel the two women at her sides take hold of her arms, their grips bruising.

Ultear finally whipped around to face the blue haired girl and close the distance between them, her painted red lips pulled back in a sneer as she snarled into her face, "What did I say happens to you when you lie before our Almighty? I looked into you. You weren't a student before you came here. You were a journalist at Magnolia Daily."

"Apostle Milkovich," Levy began to weakly struggle against the grasps of the two older women, trying to stay calm but panicking regardless of her attempts, "Please, let me explain-"

"You came here to approach Lucy, didn't you?" the apostle cut her off, her gaze cold and calculating.

"That's not it. I think there's been a misunderstanding."

Ultear's lips quirked at the corners in annoyance as she hissed, "You're a filthy, vile little creature, are you? I can hardly stand being in your presence." Her gaze snapped between the sisters restraining the girl, her voice cold as she commanded, "Put her inside."

As their grips on her arms tightened, Levy's panic reached new heights, her eyes wide as she realized they were dragging her towards the open-top washing machine. Her sneakers screeched against the floor in tandem with her shrieking, her feet skidding as she desperately begged, "Apostle Milkovich! Apostle Milkovich, wait!"

Her hands slammed against the front of the washer, panicked shrieks tearing from her throat as she fought against the women yanking her about. But they were stronger, one of the sisters fisting a hand in the hair at the base of her neck and shoving her forward.

"No! Sto-"

Her head plunged beneath the water, the machine still churning around her.

"Who else? What others devils like you are there trying to destroy Zentopia from the inside out?" Ultear hissed even though she knew that Levy couldn't hear her nor respond, the desperate kicking of the girl's legs against the floor and the futile flailing of her arms only further enraging the apostle, "Your friends…I will eradicate them all."

* * *

"Why isn't Loke here?"

"I don't know," Natsu let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair as he cast an exhausted look at Elfman. "He seemed kind of pissed off about something when I called him earlier, and he hasn't answered any of my calls since. Maybe we should just give him some time to cool down."

"He was the one that was all gung-ho about getting information though," Elfman muttered, his arms folded over his chest as he plopped himself down on the bed of Natsu's hotel room, feeling drowsy since it was nearly two in the morning. "You'd think he'd want to be here to hear about what you found in Hargeon."

Natsu was about to say that it was weird for their orange haired friend to be ignoring their calls in the first place, but before he could say another word, there was a knock at the door. He wondered who the hell would be here so late as he stood from where he'd been researching at his laptop, rubbing the urge to sleep out of his eyes as he trudged towards the door, his eyes widening at what he found on the other side, "…Juvia?"

The blue haired looked scared, terrified even, her hands clenched into quivering fists at her sides as she mumbled, "Loke…he's not going to church these days, is he?"

" _What?_ " the salmon haired boy hissed, the mention of Loke and a church in the same sentence setting him on edge. Nothing in his life that revolved around religion had been positive as of late, and dread pooled in his stomach as his mind went wild over the implications of Juvia's words.

"I…I…" she stuttered, taking a deep breath and swallowing heavily to calm herself before she quietly continued, "About an hour and a half ago, I was on a delivery…I saw this white van pull out of an alley, and Loke…he was in the front seat. The van…it had the word 'Zentopia' on its side."

Natsu's eyes widened, his frame freezing completely still and his breath catching in his lungs. His chest suddenly constricted, and he swore his heart skipped a beat. The comforter of the bed rustled behind him as Elfman shot to his feet, the Strauss boy fully awake now and striding to the door in the matter of only a few seconds, his eyes wide.

"And then…and then I saw something shiny in the road, so I stopped, and…and…" She lifted a trembling fist from her side, painstakingly uncurling her fingers from around the broken pair of spectacles in her grasp as she shakily quivered out, "There…there was _so much blood._ "

* * *

Gray had thought he would be going to bed feeling triumphant. Levy surely had to have arrived in Crocus by now if she'd been traveling since she'd left him and Lucy earlier, and with the file they'd found being released to the public, he was sure that tomorrow would be the day; that the police would arrive to lock Precht and his apostles away for good and finally set Lucy and her mother free.

But instead, this night was one of dread.

He'd gone to the bathroom right before going to bed to check the phone he'd stored in the vent just like he did every night, Natsu's rage and anxiety practically audible in the text he'd sent at just past two in the morning.

' _They took Loke. He's gotta be there somewhere. You have to find him.'_

Gray's eyes had gone wide in shock and despair, his stomach dropping and leaving a burning, hollow feeling in his gut. These people were murderers, and given that they knew who Loke was, or rather, they remembered him for taking Lucy away from them, they sure as hell weren't going to go easy on him.

The raven haired boy's breath was strained even further when he remembered that Kain's hand had been coated with blood when he'd seen him last, and without even tucking the phone back into its safe place in the vent, Gray shot out of the bathroom and took off running, his feet carrying in the direction he'd seen Zancrow and Kain disappear to a few hours past.

* * *

Gray's lungs burned as he heaved down gulp after gulp of the frigid night air on his mad dash up the forest path, his anxiety and panic overshadowing his athleticism and making him feel like running up that hill had been like running a marathon.

He nearly slammed himself into a tree when he dove off of the path as he caught sight of someone coming down it, just barely managing to settle amongst the bushes as Kain came close enough to be within hearing range.

The raven haired boy's eyes widened as he saw the petite, limp body slung over the hulking man's shoulder, the forest too dark for him to make out any more details other than the feminine build of the body.

As cruel as it might have been, wondering whether or not the girl was dead was quickly overtaken by Gray's concern for Loke, and his focus was quickly whipping up towards the top of the path, to where Kain had come from. He crouched as he hiked up the mountain a bit more, his eyes widening at the structure that peeked through the trees. The large, metal door looked like the entrance to a bunker, its hinges and front rusted beyond belief.

That was where Loke was. It had to be.

* * *

Natsu tapped his foot on the gas of Juvia's car, having retrieved the vehicle from where it'd been stored in the Strauss' shop. He clenched his hands around the steering wheel, "You ready?"

Elfman gave him a nod, shifting in the passenger seat as if in preparation.

They weren't going to bother wasting their time with trying to be sneaky and covert. Zentopia had taken and hurt one of their best friends, so they were fucking busting through the front gate, ready to wreak havoc and bring chaos to the 'paradise' in the mountains.

* * *

Lucy wasn't sure what she'd been expecting when her father had come to inform her that Precht wished to meet with her so late at night, but as she entered the chapel with Jude in tow, her eyes were widening at what greeted her gaze. Preacht and his apostles were near the steps to the stand, a petite blue haired girl, her hair mussed and far more wild than usual, exhaustedly swaying on her feet in front of the group of four.

Levy hadn't made it to Crocus…she hadn't even made it out of Zentopia.

The blonde fought with all of her might to keep her despair, worry, and surprise from showing on her expression. Levy looked like she'd seen hell in the mere hour they'd been apart, her skin pale and far more blue and green than a healthy red, fleshy tone, her eyes lidded and fluttering in the dim light of the chapel. Lucy's stomach dropped when she realized that the blue haired girl looked a lot like Layla had while she'd been forcefully given those psychotropic drugs.

Precht stepped forward, immune to Levy's flinch as he rested his hands heavily on her shoulders and peered over her head at Lucy to purr, "Do you know who this girl is?"

The blonde managed to keep her voice even, though she was sure some of her concern was blatantly visible on her features as she answered, "Yes. She's my aide, Sister McGarden."

"You're wrong," the preacher spat cruelly, his fingers wrapping tightly around the petite girl's shoulders, "She's not who you thought she was. She's a devil who was sent to torment and taint your soul. Did she blind you?"

"No," Lucy firmly responded immediately, her instincts taking over as she did everything she could to save her friend. If there was any way she could prevent or decrease the severity of what was awaiting Levy at the hands of Zentopia, then she would find it, no matter what it meant sacrificing.

"What did she say to you while she was alone with you?" Precht inquired, one of his hands straying from her shoulders and fisting in her blue hair instead, Levy wincing as he tugged at her strands.

"She didn't say anything out of the ordinary. She only delivered Apostle Milkovich's messages."

"Did you know that she was a journalist?"

"No."

Precht stared at the blonde in silence for a moment as if in consideration, his lips quirking the slightest fraction at the edges as he began to guide the shivering blue haired girl in his grasp forward, placing her just before the blonde, "If you really didn't get blinded by her…you should carry out a fire prayer to cleanse her."

Lucy's eyes burned with tears as she stared down at her friend, her hands beginning to tremble at what had been asked of her.

A fire prayer. That was what her father had been trying to carry out in the police station's parking lot, and what Precht and his apostles had done to her upon her return to Zentopia. It meant that she was going to have to beat her friend until there were bruises, until she passed out from the pain.

This was a test. She'd realized long ago that Precht already knew she wasn't following through with her training because she genuinely wanted to, and he was cruelly using Levy as a means of making her prove her forced devotion to his plan.

Refusing to perform the fire prayer meant earning the preacher's wrath, and who knew what would become of the both of them then. Levy might be outright killed, and Lucy feared that he wouldn't hold himself back from taking advantage of her any longer, and then all of their hard work would be for naught. But giving in and commencing with the prayer meant wounding one of the few friends she had. Their progress thus far would hold, but at Levy's expense, and did Lucy really have the right to decide whether or not the blue haired girl was going to make such a sacrifice?

Levy's eyes flooded with tears, her form still shivering as she choked out in a hoarse voice, "Please…save me. I don't know anything!"

"We mustn't be deceived by the devil," Precht purred into the blue haired girl's ear, though his voice was more than loud enough for Lucy to hear, "Even if he approaches us behind a kind, pretty face."

The blonde's stomach churned as the preacher ran the knuckles of his fingers down Levy's cheek as if in admiration.

"Hurry, Lucy! Rid her of the demon possessing her!" Jude pressed, watching his daughter from his place beside Ultear and the other two apostles.

The blue haired girl blindly reached forward towards the other girl, her voice filled with tears and desperation, "Lucy…you need to run...your mom also wants-"

Her words cut off in a shriek as Lucy's hand shot forward to the top of her head, the blonde shoving the girl to the floor as she shrieked, "Leave, you filth!"

Lucy fell to her knees beside Levy's crumbled, moaning form.

"I'm not a devil! I'm not! Please! I'm not!"

"With the Almighty's burning flame," the blonde was trembling as she sharply brought her hand down on Levy's back for the first time, tears streaming down her face as she cried, "I command you, devil," she brought her hand down once more, her tears pattering from her chin to the marble floor and her throat burning with her final shriek, "to leave!"

The doors of the chapel creaked as they were pushed open, though Lucy didn't turn from her fallen friend to see who had entered.

She was disgusted with herself.

"Who told you you could enter here?" Ultear stepped towards the door, her sharp voice aimed at the person who had interrupted them.

"I…I'm sorry."

Lucy's eyes widened as she recognized Gray's voice, but still, she didn't turn, one of her hands now gently swiping back the hair from Levy's sweat-soaked face. She'd already cost one of her friends their safety, and she wasn't going to risk revealing Gray's identity by reacting to his presence in any way.

"It's just," the raven haired boy continued hesitantly, his hands respectfully clasped in front of himself, "I saw a couple of weird guys come in through the front gate."

"Who are you talking about?" Precht stepped forward to, his features beginning to spark with fury.

Gray bit his bottom as he thought over his answer, "They looked to be around my age. One of them had pink hair, and the other had white hair and was really tall. They were heading into the woods."

Ultear sharply inhaled, her feet already carrying her towards the chapel doors, "It's them. The boys who took Lucy!"

"They came for the boy," Zancrow hissed, his hands clenching into fists.

The three apostles and Jude brushed past Gray and out of the chapel, fury and rage lining their features.

Lucy stayed kneeling on the floor beside her blue haired friend, tears still streaming down her cheeks as she gently rested a hand atop the flesh she'd just abused, her heart aching and crying out in her chest.

* * *

"The fuck is this place?" Natsu ground out, directing his flashlight across the steel walls of the bunker-like structure Gray had directed them to over the phone. The salmon haired boy wasn't sure why his rival hadn't come with them, but he didn't waste time pondering or complaining about it, his best friend's instructions to grab Loke and get the fuck out of there ringing clear in his mind. Gray had a plan, that much was obvious, and Natsu trusted him well enough by now not to get in the way and fuck it up.

He was grateful that, unlike him, Elfman had been thinking somewhat clearly in their hurried dash to Zentopia, the tools that the boy had snatched from his family's mechanic shop before they'd left proving essential in their rescue operation. The large, metal door to the steep staircase that had led them down to the hallway they were in now had been locked with a sturdy chain, but the links had clunked to the ground with one snip of Elfman's bolt cutter.

Natsu's breathes were escaping him in heavy puffs as he shown his flashlight through the small metal grate that served as a window at the top of each door that lined the musty hallway, his heartbeat speeding up with each empty room.

He mentally prayed to whatever God was really up there, not Zentopia's Almighty, as he peered through the very last door in the hallway before the walls gave way to rows of lockers, his heart rate spiking as his flashlight shown upon a lump rather than a spotless steel floor. His eyes found a pair of bound hands, then traveled up the fabric of the back of a green sweatshirt that was colored brown in random splotches, and finally settled on a wild mop of orange hair that was matted with dirt and blood.

"Loke!"

The orange haired boy didn't stir at his cry.

"Move!" Elfman was quickly grabbing onto his salmon haired friend's shoulder and not-so-gently shoving him out of the way, a grunt slipping through his lips as he rammed his shoulder against the metal door, knowing that with the way it was locked, his bolt cutters wouldn't suffice.

The rusted metal of the lock gave out after only six shoves, the door slamming against the wall of the cell as Elfman charged into the room following his last shove.

Natsu bolted in right after him, his flashlight clattering to the floor as he dropped to his knees at Loke's front, his hands immediately going for the gag blocking Loke's mouth while Elfman worked at the bindings around the boy's wrists.

"Loke!" the salmon haired boy placed his hands on his friend's cheeks, panic consuming him as his fingers quickly smeared with blood, "Wake up!"

His only answer was a groan, which was enough for him for the moment. It meant that Loke was alive, and knowing what kind of people the members of Zentopia were, that was more than he could have ever asked for.

"We need to get out of here. Now," Natsu hissed, helping Elfman maneuver the limp, unconscious form of their orange haired friend onto his back. His arms hung limply over the Strauss boy's shoulders, his head lulling and smearing the back of Elfman's shirt with blood.

Natsu snatched his flashlight from the floor once Loke was somewhat safely placed, leading the charge back out of the bunker with an extra anxious tick in his step. They'd found Loke, but leaving Zentopia probably wasn't going to be as easy as charging in had been.

There were already voices charging up the dirt path towards them, so they had no choice but to cut through the forest, the pair trying to be as careful as they could for Loke's sake.

* * *

Gray's eyes momentarily widened as he caught sight of his three best friends making their way across the very bottom of the path that led up to the church, Lucy and Precht following him down the steps of the front of the white building. But he was quickly forcing his surprised expression to morph into one of anger, his fists clenching at his sides.

It was time to carry out the rest of his plan.

He let out his best impression of one of Natsu's growls before bolting down the path with a furious cry of, "That's them!"

He could practically feel Lucy's wide eyes boring into his back as he charged, but he was glad she didn't follow, and neither did Precht. If they had, he didn't know what he would've done.

He reached the bottom of the path and rounded the corner just as Natsu and Elfman carefully tucked Loke into the back seat of the car they'd driven before the Strauss boy tumbled in after him, and hell, did the orange haired boy look like shit. He hadn't been able to see any details in the one quick glimpse he'd been given, but he had seen the blood, and there was _a lot_ of it.

But he forced his concern aside, trusting in Natsu and Elfman to take care of Loke and kicking up dirt as he lunged towards the salmon haired boy who was hurriedly yanking open the driver's side door.

He clung onto Natsu's free arm, the salmon haired boy whipping around to face him, his intention of attacking and the anger on his features fading into something akin to shock when he saw who it was that was tugging him away from the door of the car.

Gray didn't drop his act for a second, desperately shouting outwards to the voices he could hear approaching their location, "They're over here!"

Natsu yanked his wrist free, his eyes wide as he hissed, "What the fuck are you doing, ice prick?!"

"Just hurry up and punch me, you moron!" Gray ground out under his breath, ceasing his rival's wrist once more and shouting over his shoulder, "Over here! I caught them!"

The raven haired boy didn't know what Natsu was waiting for. The salmon haired boy had certainly never had any problem with punching him before, and it was obvious that he enjoyed brawling, especially when it was against Gray. But now, his rival was just staring back at him with wide eyes, his body tense and reluctant to move.

Finally, Natsu's features shifted, an enraged type of pain appearing on his features as he yanked his wrist free again and pulled his arm back, his voice heavy as he stammered a quick, "I'm sorry."

Natsu's fist landed in the same spot that Jellal's had only hours before, the already abused flesh of his jaw screaming with the force of the impact. Gray let himself stumble backwards after receiving the blow, the palms of his hands stinging with new scratches as he only barely managed to catch himself.

When he recovered enough to lift his head, he saw that his rival still hadn't moved, and that was when he realized that Natsu didn't want to leave him behind. What had happened to Loke must've terrified the shit out of him, just like it had all of them, and in the mere hours that the orange haired boy had been held captive by Zentopia, it'd seemed like he'd been torn to shreds.

It was obvious to Gray now that Natsu wasn't eager to leave without him, but the raven haired boy refused to let his rival's emotions get the better of him. He'd pledged himself to Lucy's rescue, and he wasn't going to leave until her and her mother were out of this god-forsaken church.

Gray anxiously shook his head, pleading through eyes, begging his best friend to just go and get Loke some help. The voices approaching were growing louder, and the group of believers was visible now too, Zancrow and Jude at the head of the charge towards the parked car.

Natsu anxiously looked between them and his rival, who was still collapsed on the ground, his lips curling back in a displeased snarl and a curse slipping through his lips as he turned on his heel, throwing himself into the driver's seat of Juvia's car and sending dirt into Gray's face as he sped down the mountain path, the taillights fading into the darkness of night.

* * *

"Thank you," Gray gave Jude a little, grateful nod of his head as he placed a cup of tea on the coffee table before him, withholding a curse as his jaw ached with the movement of muttering the simple phrase. He'd been punched full force three times in nearly the same exact spot, and he was sure that in a few hours, the flesh there would be painted with a horrid bruise.

But the pain was of little concern to him at the moment, his present situation much more demanding of his attention.

He was in Precht's office, seated on a couch directly across from Lucy, who sat by her father on the other side of the coffee table. The preacher sat in an arm chair that was perpendicular to the two couches, his eyes carefully following the raven haired boy's every move as he took a small sip of his tea.

Gray really wanted to go to bed, and Lucy did, too, he could tell. It was nearing three in the morning, and with the day that he'd had, he was about ready to pass out. He was a bit concerned that his exhaustion would hinder his ability to maintain his character, but with all that had just happened, both with Jellal and with his friends, he hoped he'd done enough to prove he was worthy of their trust.

Jude gently cleared his throat, taking the initiative of starting the conversation, "How'd you say you caught sight of those boys again?"

The raven haired boy lifted his focus from his tea, his gaze finding Jude before it briefly shifted to Lucy, the blonde giving him a look that said 'you better not screw this up.'

"I was on my way to the prayer rooms in the woods," Gray answered earnestly, pushing Loke's glasses further up on his nose as he sniffled. "I just thought they looked strange, so I came and found you."

"You did a the right thing," Jude praised, letting out a heavy sigh as if he couldn't believe that such a thing had even happened in the first place.

"Moments like these are why we have to pray and worship every day," Precht suddenly stated, his focus briefly shifting to Lucy before snapping back to Gray as he hummed, "It seems that the Almighty has sent us a very special soul."

Gray feigned humility and self-consciousness, adopting a clumsy grin and dropping his gaze to the floor as if in uncertainty as he curled into himself.

"You are…" Precht surmised, his voice strangely sincere as he entitled the raven haired boy, "The Gatekeeper of Zentopia."

"…Really?" Gray breathed out, his surprise not entirely faked.

"Congratulations," Jude began, a warm smile on his face, "You've been given a very sacred calling. Fulfill it with faith."

* * *

Gray clasped his hands quietly in front of himself as he followed Lucy and her father from Precht's office, his exhausted mind still reeling with what had happened only a short few moments ago. Receiving a 'calling from the Almighty' was something he'd never expected to happen when he'd first snuck into the cult, but he figured that his plans must be working better than he'd originally thought, especially with how important Precht and Jude had made his new duty out to be.

"You can return to your room for the night, Gray," Jude gave the boy a gentle grin as he turned to face him and bid him farewell, "You did much good today, so rest well."

The raven haired boy nodded his head once, adopting his own forced half-grin before turning to head on his way, "Thanks. Good night."

"Wait."

He was stopping again before he'd taken more than three steps, Lucy's voice causing him to spin back around in order to face her and her father.

The blonde had a soft grin on her features, her voice overly bright but somehow still gentle as she hummed, "I've just received revelation from the Almighty. He doesn't want us to just send away the one who valiantly fought against the demons that threatened us. I should give him my blessing as a reward."

Gray quirked a brow in confusion, but he quickly figured that she was up to something. She fit her role of Spiritual Mother perfectly now though as she stood before her father, so well that Gray was almost believed she really was just going to give him a blessing and send him on his way. She definitely had a way with words, and for people who thrived by deceiving others, the apostles of Zentopia were surprisingly susceptible to deceit themselves.

"Dad, could you give me your vial of Living Water?"

"Of course, dear."

Lucy gave her father a grateful grin before turning to Gray and coming to stand right before him, sprinkling a few drops of the supposed holy liquid on his head, reaching up to gently set her hand atop his raven strands.

He ducked his head to make it easier on her, waiting patiently to see what she was going to do with his hands still clasped respectively before him.

The blonde dropped her pleasant, reverent front all at once, her features shifting and her expression conveying urgency and desperation as she mouthed, _'Levy…please.'_

Gray swallowed heavily, dropping his gaze to the floor as he subtly nodded his head once. In all of the chaos with his friends, he'd nearly forgotten about the sight he'd witnessed upon entering the chapel earlier, but now, the image of Lucy kneeling by the shivering, moaning blue haired girl's side burned its way to the surface of his mind, Levy's state in that moment letting him know that something had gone horribly wrong.

He was exhausted, but another rescue mission was about to be under way, and he was the only one who could do it. So it seemed like he wasn't going to be getting any sleep tonight, but if it was for his comrades, then he would do it, no matter what it cost him.

* * *

"They abducted him and beat him up," Natsu ground out, his eyes zeroed in on the detective that had met them on the shore in their usual spot at Magnolia's lake. "Now, is that enough for you stupid superior to allow an investigation?"

Mest shifted on his feet, "Are you sure about that?"

"Are you fucking blind?" the salmon haired boy hissed, his arm flying backwards to gesture to the pizza delivery car that was parked behind him. From where they'd propped him up against the seat and Elfman, Loke's bloodied and bruised face was visible through the windshield, his hair matted to his skin with sweat, blood, and mud.

The detective decided to lash back with own heated question, "Why the hell did you bring him to me instead of taking him to the hospital?"

"Because I believe every word Lucy's ever said to me, and she told me that that fucking cult has ties with the hospital in town," Natsu growled. "We're gonna take him out of town, but I needed to ask you for a favor first."

Mest quirked a brow, but he didn't have to wait long for an answer.

"They abduct, confine, and beat people to death," Natsu fumed, his body tensed with anxiety and constantly shifting as if he couldn't stand staying still for even a moment. "That means that I need to get my friends out of there _now_ , which means I need you and your police buddies to get your heads out of your asses and get involved."

The detective let out a heavy sigh, "Look, I told you earlier-"

"Stop blaming the lack of evidence, the hierarchy, and the fact that Zentopia's a religious organization! You guys found a corpse not even a mile away from them!"

"Listen, kid," Mest ground out, finally deciding to just release the information he'd withheld for the sake of saving Natsu from its heavy weight, "my superiors aren't the only ones pulling the strings here." He paused, stealing himself for the inevitably violent reaction he was about to pay witness to, "No one in Magnolia can act without your brother's permission. The Governor was the one that wrote off the Mine's girl death as an accident, and he's stopping anyone from doing anything involved with Zentopia. Like it or not, your big bro's involved with Zentopia, and if you want to take them down, you're gonna have to drag him down, too."

Natsu was frozen solid for a moment before he whipped his focus away from the detective in frustration, pacing around the brush below him with hands clenched into fists. He'd known about Zeref and Zentopia since he'd walked into Wendy's hospital room to find his brother conversing with Precht, the two exchanging words like they were old friends. But to hear it confirmed by someone on the other side, someone that was almost directly under his brother's power, was like the final knife in the chest, the final nail in the coffin.

He resolved to deal with it later, shoving his anger aside for the sake of his friend. He spun back around to face Mest, his tone leaving no room for argument as he ground out, "I'm taking Loke to the hospital to get an official medical report. They've committed assault, abduction, coercion, and confinement. We're gonna press charges against them for everything they've done, and once word spread beyond Magnolia, my brother won't be able to do a thing to stop us. I _will_ make sure that that happens. I'm not giving up on Lucy just because it means betraying my brother." He let out a weighty sigh as he dropped his gaze to the ground, a threat in his voice as he hissed, "This is gonna be big, and once everything about that cult and Zeref comes to light, all of Magnolia's gonna erupt into chaos. If you wanna just stand there and do nothing, then fine, but know that the blame will be on you, and I ain't gonna testify to save your ass once outsiders step in to absolve all of the corruption in this town."

With those words lingering in his wake, and he spun on his heel and trudged through the brush back towards Juvia's car, not leaving any air for the detective to speak.

"What did he say?" Elfman eagerly inquired after Natsu had slammed the door behind him, the salmon haired boy angrily plopping himself into the driver's seat.

"Elfman…" Natsu's eyes follow Mest as the detective went back to his own car, his voice low as he instructed, "I want you to take Loke out of town for a bit, and get him to a hospital."

"Then…what about you? What're you gonna do?"

The salmon haired boy bit his bottom lip, strengthening his resolve for a moment before he determinedly ground out, "I'm gonna go see Zeref."

"What?!"

"If I can't get him to give in and let the investigation proceed, then I'm finally gonna use everything I have against him. The governor's little brother pressing charges against him is sure to gain some headway in the media, even outside of Magnolia."

Elfman held for a moment before he let out a heavy sigh and reluctantly nodded his head, "Fine. But you better be careful."

"I will be," Natsu promised as he shoved the driver's side door open once more, "I didn't come this far just to let my brother get the better of me."

He left the door open for Elfman as the Strauss boy gently left Loke's side and circled around the car, giving Natsu a firm pat on the shoulder for farewell, willing him the strength to stand tall and endure.

The salmon haired boy watched his two friends drive away until the taillights of their car faded into black, not having moved an inch since Elfman's hand had left his shoulder.

The last time he'd stood in this spot, all three of his friends had stood beside him, the blonde they'd just recused endlessly showering them with her thanks. But now, Loke was bloodied and beaten, and Gray and Lucy were trapped inside that fucking cult, enduring God knows what. Both of them could be killed and he would never know unless he went there himself, which would likely be impossible now that they'd broken in so easily once. Security was surely going to be raised following their intrusion, and now they'd royally screwed themselves over, likely heightening the chances of failure for their escape plan once things went down.

But that wouldn't stop. He'd once been the type of person that would cower under the threat of his brother's power, but he wasn't that person anymore. He'd accomplish his goals no matter what it took, and he'd keep his promises this time, his voice filled with determination and strength as he avowed to himself, "We're almost there, Lucy. I'm gonna save you, I swear."

* * *

 **AN**

 **Next chapter will pick up where this one left off, with Gray going to save Levy :)**

 **We're almost there, you guys...I swear. I actually think we might have only three chapters left cause I want to make the last one longer than usual, and since I'm completely done with finals and school for the next little bit, I should be able to get the last chapters written out and let you know for sure how much longer we'll be going for!**

 **We've also got quite a few exciting things happening next chapter, so I'm excited for you to read it!**

 **Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next Friday!**


	18. Chapter 18: With Those Few Words

**Chapter Eighteen**

 **With Those Few Words**

The difficulty of breathing was what drug Levy into consciousness, her breaths growing sporadic as she drifted out of sleep and became aware of the taste of something putrid in her mouth. She could only assume that it was some sort of dirty rag, her arms met with resistance when she instinctively tried to bring her hands to her mouth to rid it of the intrusion.

Her eyes slowly peeled open, her focus exhaustedly rolling around the room to figure out where the hell she was. Steel walls met her focus on all sides, the only light in the room coming from a grated window on the door.

She looked to see why she couldn't really move her arms, her eyes widening as she found her wrists bound to the corners of the bed frame she'd woken up on. She didn't have to look to know that her feet were restrained in a similar manner, the ropes burning her ankles as she futilely tugged to get free.

A muffled shriek slipped through the gag as she recalled the last thing that had happened before she'd lost consciousness, the reality of where she was and what had happened to her bubbling to the forefront of her mind.

Gray had finally found something they could use to get the police involved in their take-down of Zentopia, and just when she'd been leaving the church to publicize the information, she'd been caught. And poor Lucy, with tears streaming down her cheeks, had been forced to beat her by Precht and his apostles. The blonde was surely disgusted with herself for what she'd done, but Levy's thoughts didn't linger on her friend for long, the grim reality of what was going to happen to her quickly taking precedence in her mind.

She knew that the people of Zentopia were evil, but truly, no one really knew what happened to those who betrayed their trust. The corpse of the Mine girl that'd been found in the woods less than a mile away was enough to give her a few ideas, but she had a dreadful feeling that death wasn't the only thing that awaited her.

* * *

' _Loke's gonna be okay. He's got bruised ribs and a concussion, but he'll recover just fine if he takes it easy.'_

Gray huffed out a breath of relief as he read over Natsu's text, running a hand down his face as he let out a heavy sigh. It was well past three in the morning now, and with his concerns for orange haired friend's well-being abated, he wanted nothing more than to crash for the night. But he'd been tasked with yet another, more arduous rescue mission, the raven haired boy unable to ignore or dismiss Lucy's plea for him to save Levy. And he wanted to make sure their blue haired ally was alright too, no matter how daunting the task of saving her would be, because this time, he was all on his own. He had no doubt that she'd been taken to the same place Loke had been held captive since, as far as he knew, that was the only place on Zentopia's grounds where the apostles could hide people without drawing the attention of their regular members. Given what had just happened with Natsu, Elfman, and Loke, he couldn't be sure that breaking into that bunker would be easy as it had been for his friends, and if anything, the place might be guarded now.

His phone vibrated before he could let too much of his anxiety over the matter get to him, his lips pressing into a grim line at what he read.

' _Today is D-day. That detective I told you about said he's going to start an investigation, but I'm raiding that place tonight whether the cops are with me or not. You and Lucy only need to hold out a little longer. I'm trusting you to look out for her until then, so please don't do anything dumb and stay safe, frosty.'_

* * *

The steel door of Levy's cell creaked raucously as it was pushed open, the blue haired girl's breathing quickening as her panic to get free resumed with new fervor upon catching sight of who was approaching her bound form.

She had never seen Ultear look so cruel, the female apostle's heels clacking against the floor and her lips curled downwards in distaste and fury as she stalked towards the girl, a glass syringe with its barrel filled by a greenish-brown liquid in her grasp. "You probably want to say that this place is fake," she remarked with disdain as she watched the blue haired girl shriek wordlessly through her gag, "but it's real. And if you still refuse to believe, I'll simply have to force you to."

Levy's eyes widened as Ultear lifted the syringe to examine it for a moment, shaking her head furiously against the mattress.

"Sister McGarden," the apostle spook smoothly over the girl's muffled shrieking, "this injection will make you believe in this place, in the paradise that it truly is." She leaned down to stroke the backs of her fingers across the girl's sweat-covered forehead as she lightly and comfortingly hummed, "So you don't have worry, alright? From here on out, you'll know only happiness and salvation."

The door slammed against the wall as it was shoved open and Ultear whipped around to face the intruder, her eyes widened as she came face to face with Gray, the boy that'd been given the title 'Gatekeeper of Zentopia.' Her brows furrowed as she confusedly thought aloud, "Why are you here?"

The stone-cold rage and disgust on his features had realization crashing down on her in a single moment.

He'd fooled them all about where his allegiance rested, and it was all her fault since she was the one that allowed him entry into their paradise. But her shock didn't deter her, her features morphing into look of rage that was parallel to the raven haired boy's. She'd repent for her mistake and make him pay for his deceit all in one go.

She tightened her grip on the syringe in her right hand as she charged, a battle cry spilling from her painted lips as she drove towards him.

Gray easily caught her right wrist and left forearm as she launched herself at him, but once he had a grasp on her, the apostle became more of a challenge than he'd anticipated. For a woman who always practiced poise and maintenance, she was surprisingly strong, her arms quivering in resistance against his as he used his grip on her wrist to lead the hand with the syringe in it towards her opposite forearm. He grit his teeth at her show of resistance, only using more strength to control her arms as the needle broke the skin of her forearm. She shrieked, more out of anger than pain, as he pushed her arm so that the needle was stabbed all the way in, his hand slipping from her wrist to slam down on the bottom of the syringe, forcing the greenish-brown liquid from the barrel and into her veins.

The affect was almost instant, the strength of her resistance depleting exponentially before she collapsed in his hold entirely, the back of her head smacking against the metal of the bed frame where Levy was restrained on the way down, blood quickly pooling from her head and coating the floor around her.

* * *

Gray had to keep a tight grip on Levy's shoulders to keep her on her feet, tucking the petite girl into his side as he drug her across Zentopia's grounds. Now that Ultear knew who he really was and where his loyalties lied, his standing at the church teetered on the brim of collapse, which made him wary of being so out in the open with the blue haired girl, both of them now at risk of being found out and taken captive once more.

At least once he'd helped Levy escape and he was on his own again, he wouldn't have to worry about people discovering his true identity until Ultear had regained consciousness. He wasn't sure what had been in that syringe, but if it had acted that quick and taken her down in the matter of only a few moments, it had to be one hell of a drug. He only hoped that it lasted until Natsu came to wreak havoc later today, though really, to spite himself, his hopes weren't too high.

As they reached the end of the dirt path they'd been traversing, Gray tucked them both behind a cluster of bushes so they could both take a breather before parting ways.

The blue haired girl all but collapsed onto her knees, catching herself with locked forearms as she gasped down air like it'd been minutes since she'd last breathed.

Gray's brows furrowed when she suddenly heaved as if she might vomit, crouching down beside her as he anxiously whispered, "You alright?"

She didn't say anything, only sweeping back her crazed hair from her face and breathing heavily as she gave him a single nod of her head.

Gray pressed his lips into a grim line. He didn't know what'd been done to the journalist apart from Lucy's forced beating, but with how pale her skin was, he was sure that she'd endured much more than that. He didn't want to dwell on it for too long though and waste time by trying to figure out what she'd been through, knowing that both he and Levy were putting themselves at risk the longer they stayed where they were. He lightly placed a hand on her shoulder, gripping her firmly enough to gain her attention as he pointed to a stretch of trees, "If you go straight that way into the forest, you'll find a small river with a bridge running over it. Natsu, the friend I told you about, will be waiting for you. He'll help you get somewhere safe."

The blue haired girl finally lifted her head to look at him with wide eyes, her features etched in concern as she hoarsely asked, "What about you and Lucy?"

His lips quirked a fraction in a bitter grin, "We'll be fine, Levy. We're gonna tear this place down from the inside out, so we need you on the outside. You have to get out and tell the whole world about this place. That's all you can do to help us now."

"Okay," she reluctantly breathed out after a moment of resilient silence. "Be careful, alright? I promise I'll help get you guys out."

"I will be. Good luck."

He helped her stand, the two sharing one last look before the blue haired girl stumbled off in the direction he'd pointed out to her, neither knowing whether or not they'd see each other again.

* * *

Levy could barely stay on her feet as she hurriedly stumbled across the bridge Gray had told her about, her wobbly feet nearly catching in the small gaps between the boards of the bridge numerous times as she stuttered along.

Just as she reached the end of the bridge, a pair of headlights shone over the crest of the hill that morphed the ground ahead of her, the car approaching on the dirt road that ran along the edge of the river.

She frantically waved her arms above her head, her veins filling with sweet relief at the thought of finding the friend Gray had told her would be waiting there for her.

The headlights shone on her for just a moment before the car stopped a few feet away, and, knowing that she'd been spotted, she bent forward in relief, bracing her hands on her knees as she huffed for breath.

She heard the driver's door open and close, and to her horror, the voice that greeted her was one she knew as opposed to one belonging to a stranger.

"The Almighty must love me very much. I mean, who would've thought that I'd happen upon you here?"

With dread weighing heavily on her chest, she slowly straightened herself out and lifted her head, already stumbling backwards with tiny steps as her eyes settled upon Zancrow, a cruel smirk contorting the apostle's features as he calmly approached her.

He let out a deep chuckle, his eyes alight with anticipation as he hummed, "I didn't even know that you'd escaped. How very fortunate."

She turned to bolt, but his hand shot forward and curled through her blue strands as they flew through the air, his fingers clamping down on her locks and tugging her backwards, away from freedom and towards the shallow river.

Her hands instinctively shot to his wrist in a futile attempt to alleviate the pain radiating across her skull, her feet kicking uselessly against the brush on the shore and sending water flying as he entered the river, "No! Please don't! Please! Stop-"

Her shrieks were cut short when he shoved her head under upon reaching waist-deep water, using both hands on the back of her head and locking his arms straight to keep her under, seemingly completely unbothered by the churning and splashing of the water beneath him as she flailed for freedom.

He only let out a cruel chuckle, "Why did you even come to Zentopia in the first place? You graduated from a good college and were living decently as a journalist. Did you really think that a puny brat like you could do something against us?" He tightened his grip and shoved her further beneath the surface as her struggles grew more frantic, his lips curling in a pleased smirk, "Your family and friends will be heartbroken, don't you think, Sister McGarden? I hope they'll join you in paradise soon."

The waters went still.

* * *

Natsu let out a heavy sigh as he decided to abandon his motorcycle and go looking around the river himself, a strange sense of dread creeping up on him at the silence that surrounded him. Twenty-five minutes ago, he'd received from Gray, notifying him that the journalist was headed his way.

She'd never arrived, so he'd gone looking for her.

He figured she must've gotten disoriented somewhere in the woods, the uneven ground and seemingly endless expanse of trees making it easy to lose a path in the dark night. Gray had told him that the poor girl had been drugged too, and if she was coming out of some sort of daze, then her getting lost was entirely understandable. There was another bridge that crossed the river a little less than a mile south, so he started in that direction, figuring that since that was his and Gray's decided landmark, the reporter might've taken that bridge for the meeting place instead of the one up north.

But his heart sunk further and further the closer he got, and still, there was no sign of her. The area was void of any human life but his own, and the only sound was the trickling of the shallow river as it lazily crawled by.

He tugged his phone out of his pocket, his lips pressed into a grim line as he shot Gray a text, _'She's not here. Something must've happened to her. I'll file a missing person's report. If I do, Zentopia will probably try to cover it up again, and that might give us a chance to catch them.'_

Only a moment later, the near silence was broken by the ringing of his phone, and, assuming it was Gray since he didn't know who else would be calling him this late, or rather this _early_ by now, he pressed it to his ear before even checking the number, his eyes still anxiously scanning his surroundings for the girl as he huffed out a sharp, "Hello?"

"Na…Na-tsu…"

His eyes went wide as he heard the broken syllables of his name, the familiar voice wrenching at his heartstrings and making his eyes go wide. It'd been years since he'd last heard it, but it was one that he could never forget.

Tears stung his eyes as he hopefully, quietly breathed out, "…Wendy?"

* * *

Gray rubbed his eyes tiredly before settling Loke's glasses back onto his nose and muffling a yawn, sniffling to clear his nose. He'd been out in the cold for far too long last night, or rather, only about two hours ago, and he'd only gotten about an hour of sleep before he'd had to wake up for the sunrise service at six. He was sure that he must look like a mess, but at least he had Loke's glasses to partially hide behind, and given that they were in a church, he could get away with bowing his head a lot, too.

"Gray…are you sure that Levy made it out safely?"

His gaze drifted to the blonde that had been standing quietly beside him in the hallway up until she'd asked him her question, her eyes never leaving the door that led onto the chapel's stand from the side. She was wearing the same black, lace dress she'd been wearing when he'd first seen her upon sneaking in to the church, her long, blonde hair lightly curled like it had been then, too.

Given her clothing, he knew that something was special about today's service immediately upon catching sight of her, and to his surprise, he'd been told to wait with her until Precht signaled her grand entrance from within the chapel. It was incredibly fortunate that his new calling as Gatekeeper actually afforded him the role of being a sort of protector for the blonde, Precht asking him to stick with her when the preacher himself or her father couldn't. Understandably, he'd been internally psyched when he'd been told to stay by her side upon waking up, both because it allowed him to watch after her better and it meant that Ultear hadn't awoken to reveal his identity.

Gray swallowed heavily before beginning with his weighty answer to the blonde's question, "I saw her off, but…I think something happened. Natsu was waiting for her, but he said she never showed."

Lucy bit her lip, tears puddling in her eyes as the grim weight of his words settled upon her shoulders. She gave herself only one moment of pessimism before she swiped at the single tear that had managed to slip free, taking a deep breath as she spoke to reassure herself more than her raven haired friend, "We…we can't make any assumptions yet. Levy's smart, so I'm sure she's fine."

He slowly nodded his head, though his voice was still heavy as he mumbled, "…right."

She took another deep breath, her eyes shooting to the clock on the wall, "It's time."

"Good luck, Lucy."

The blonde only gave him a stiff nod of her head as she placed her hand on the nob of the door, forcing aside her dread over what had become of Levy. She couldn't show weakness in front of the congregation as she spoke in front of them during the service. She was supposed to be a beacon of strength and forthright spirituality, so she forced her features into an expression that gave away no emotion and only told of poise and prestige, carrying herself in a manner befitting someone who had been given the title 'Spiritual Mother.'

* * *

"Wendy!"

Natsu swore his heart nearly stopped beating as he entered his sister's hospital room, his eyes widening as he found her collapsed on the floor between her bed and the coffee table of the visiting area, a phone, one he didn't recognize, resting on the floor next to her.

With another cry of her name, he collapsed to his knees beside her in an instant, his arms sliding beneath her fallen form to lift her upper body from the cold floor. Her head lulled in the crook of his elbow, his other arm reaching across to grab her waist, "Wendy, what happened? Did…did you move on your own?"

She swallowed before her lips shifted as if she was fighting to say something, one of her hands shakily lifting from her lap to rest on his shoulder, her fingers quivering as they dug into his flesh.

Natsu watched her hand perform the action with tears in his eyes before his focus found her face again.

He wanted to be happy. His sister was finally moving and speaking again, albeit very shakily, because it been years since she'd been able to perform such simple actions. But she just looked so anxious and scared, her features pale and her irises quivering as she hoarsely choked out between heavy breaths, "Ze…ref…"

His brows furrowed, admittedly a little disappointed that after over three years of silence, her first word to him had been their bastard brother's name, "What about him, Wen? You want me to call him?" He personally didn't want to see their brother at the moment, but if his little sister wanted him there, then he'd suffer through Zeref's presence for her sake.

If anything, she only trembled more at his words, her eyes swimming with tears as she quivered out, "It…it w-was _him_ …"

Natsu brows furrowed even further at the simple phrase. _What_ was Zeref? What had their brother done that had her so terrified?

His mind ran over why, of all things, those four simple words had been the first to leave her mouth after three years of silence, and why her desperation to tell him had been worth tumbling out of her bed to reach the phone on the coffee table.

Her meaning struck him all at once, making his eyes widen and his chest tighten in anger as he realized that maybe her 'accident' hadn't been so much of an accident after all.

* * *

"Hey."

" _I need your help."_

Elfman quirked a brow when Natsu offered him no greeting other than those short four words upon answering his phone, but from the anxiousness in the salmon haired boy's tone, he knew that something was amiss, "What's up?"

" _I need you get my sister out of that stupid hospital. Now."_

"What about you? You're not gonna be there?"

" _I'm going after my brother. He needs to pay for what he's done."_

Natsu's tone let him know that there was no arguing about this favor, and considering it concerned Wendy, Elfman knew he had better follow through or risk submitting himself to his salmon haired friend's rage, "Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Just like he'd offered no greeting, Natsu hung up without a single word of farewell.

Elfman tucked his phone into his pocket, spinning to face one of the two other people in the room with him, his eyes shooting to where Loke was passed out on the couch before he addressed Erza in an anxious whisper, "Can you watch over him for a bit?"

The redhead hadn't seemed too pleased to have her apartment crashed by them again, but upon seeing the bandages that wound around Loke's head, she'd let them in without a word, and Elfman hadn't known where else to go. He hadn't wanted to leave his orange haired friend alone at his apartment, and he hadn't even thought about going to his own home for the sake of not worrying his sisters. He'd nearly dropped Loke off at his mom's, but the orange haired boy had nearly lost it in anger upon seeing the cop car parked in his mother's driveway, almost as if he'd woken up just to tell him that there was no way in hell he was walking into his own home.

So really, Elfman had had no other choice but to go to the redhead's place.

Erza quirked a brow as she watched him go about gathering his things, "Where are you going?"

"To help Natsu."

She stood from her seat at the kitchen table, making him pause halfway through her entryway, "This is about that girl, isn't it? The one you brought here a little over a week ago."

He let out a heavy sigh, figuring that what had Natsu so concerned about Wendy probably had something to do with Lucy and Zentopia in some way, "Kind of…"

The redhead was silent for a moment before she, too, let out a heavy sigh, "Look…I won't tell you that you guys shouldn't get involved, because I know that won't change anything. But…you guys still need to be careful. And if you guys ever need any help…I'm here."

He turned back to give her a lazy, half-grin, "Got it. Thanks, Erza."

* * *

Natsu nearly broke the glass on the front door of the Magnolia daily office building as he charged inside, uncaring of how loud he was despite the fact that it was just past seven in the morning. There was only one guy in the large room filled with waist-high cubicles anyway, his orange hair sloppily pulled back into a ponytail and his eyes heavy with sleep. It was obvious that the only thing keeping him awake at such an hour was the cup of coffee on his desk, but Natsu figured that the message he carried would wake him up soon enough.

He charged straight through the cubicles to the orange haired man, immune to the shocked, wide eyes he received as he got straight to the point, "Levy McGarden works here, right? Have you heard anything from her today?"

The man stared at him with a brow quirked for a few moments before his lips parted to speak.

Natsu cut him off before he could say a single word, wanting a straight answer, "Look, I know everything. I know that she infiltrated Zentopia, and I also know that about two hours ago, she escaped," his voice dropped in intensity as he conveyed his grim message, "but no one's heard from her since."

The man's eyes went even wider as he blurted in a panic, "What?! Then we should file a missing person's report-"

"I already have," the salmon haired boy cut him off again, his tone very clearly carrying his distaste with the situation, "But really, I'm not sure if anything will come of it. Zentopia's got ties with the police."

Natsu didn't think the man's eyes could get any wider, but they did. He was still in a daze from hearing the news about his coworker as he breathed out in disbelief, "Really?"

The salmon haired boy swallowed and grimly nodded his head, his voice growing even heavier, "And that's not it…My brother…he's in on it, too."

"You mean Governor Dragneel?"

"Yeah," he huffed out. He folded his arms over his chest, clenching his jaw, "But I'm gonna stop them," he firmly connected his gaze with the man's, "and I need your help."

* * *

"You know what will happen to your brother once all of this is out in the open, right? Will you really be able to disclose all of this?"

Natsu swallowed heavily as the orange haired man, who he now knew to be Jet, switched off the voice recorder the younger Dragneel had given him after listening to its contents. The salmon haired boy thought of Wendy to strengthen his resolve as the voice recorder was passed back to him, his jaw firmly set as he nodded his head.

"You're practically strangling your brother with your own hands."

"Even if I told you that I didn't want to do this, would that stop you anyways?" Natsu spat back. "Would you really be able to keep all of this to yourself now that you know the truth?"

Before Jet could reply, the salmon haired boy's phone rang, his hands quickly working to pull it from his pocket and moving even more quickly to press it to his ear once he saw who it was, "What's up, Elfman?"

There was silence for a moment before Elfman uncharacteristically stuttered, _"Natsu, I…It's Wendy….She's gone."_

With those few words, Natsu's heart dropped to his stomach.

He shouldn't have let his carnal desire to take down his brother move him from his sister's side, his impulsiveness costing him dearly for the thousandth time.

He didn't process the reporter's calls for him as he charged from the office building, ready to wreak havoc on whoever had dared to lay even a single hand on his little sister.

And he knew damn well who it was.

* * *

Natsu didn't spare a moment once he'd quite literally barged into his brother's office, the hinges screeching as the door was thrust open. He charged right up to Zeref's desk, his features blazing with fury as he hissed, "Where's Wendy?"

Zeref stood from his desk, his own features hardened in anger, "You think you can just barge in here after just disappearing for a week?" He huffed out a heavy breath, "I moved her to a better hospital. I was worried about her, so-"

"Bullshit!" Natsu hissed, his hands shooting to his pocket to withdraw the voice recorder he'd taken from Wendy's room. He chuckled bitterly, "You know, I first sent her these things so she could hear my voice while I was away, but I have to say…they turned out to be a lot more useful than I originally intended. You've said a lot of things to her when you thought no one was listening in, and it seems like Wendy decided that the world needed to hear them."

Dimaria walked into the room at the perfect moment, freezing in her steps when she caught sight of the voice recorder in the pinkette's hands, her features shifting into an expression of shock and dread that mirrored Zeref's.

Natsu thrived off of their fear and apprehension, his features shaking in fiery indignation as he lowly and threateningly ground out, "How do you think your people will feel when they hear their governor comparing the feeling he'd gotten when he'd pushed his little sister from the third floor balcony of their home to the thrill of killing a wild animal? And what about when they find out that he did it because she discovered he was giving out bribes to win over voters for the upcoming election? Or how about when they hear him admit his disappointment when he found out that the fall didn't kill her?" His hand clenched even tighter around the recorder, "Or maybe I should tell them about how you've accepted bribes from someone as twisted as a cult leader, and that you sent a girl who'd just barely left her teens into his arms so she could be raped and murdered." His entire frame was rigid with anger, his voice dropping even further as he hissed, "You've done a lot of sick and cruel things, Zeref…and I'm gonna tell the whole world about them."

Zeref shifted on his feet in the tense silence that followed, his eyes shifting every which way, looking for an out as he reasonably started, "Natsu, I think there's been a misunderstanding."

It took everything Natsu had not to punch his brother, his voice spiking in volume, "A misunderstanding?! How can you lie to me when I literally hold the evidence in my hand?!"

His brother dove forward, "Give me that!"

"No!" Natsu pulled his hand back, clenching his hand tightly around the voice recorder as he hissed, "I hope you remember everything you've done, Zeref…because I'm gonna make you pay for all of it." He sharply spun on his heel, charging towards the door.

"Natsu!"

Zeref's cry had him pausing for a moment just as he was brushing past Dimaria, a wave of satisfaction rushing through him as he saw the look of devastation on her features. The lavish world she'd crafted for herself and his brother was crumbling right before her eyes, and to see her finally lose for once was something he'd been waiting for for _years._

Zeref's voice was uncharacteristically weak as he called out again, but the salmon haired boy knew it was a ploy to get him to give in, "Are you really going to do this to me? I'm your big brother, Natsu."

The salmon haired boy swallowed heavily, his voice pained despite himself as he ground out, "Not anymore, Zeref."

* * *

Instead of a greeting, a growl slipped through Natsu's lips as he brought his bike to a stop in front of the sanitarium his sister had been housed in to yank the ringing phone from his pocket and press it to his ear, his lips curling in a snarl as Dimaria's voice carried through the speakers.

" _Natsu, I know that you're out there looking for Wendy. If you give us that voice recorder, I'll tell you where she is."_

He let loose another growl.

Her words had sounded pleasant enough, but he knew that they held another, less pleasant message. They were an offer of compromise, but also a declaration of leverage, and Zeref was almost outright and blatantly threatening their little sister.

Instead of offering Dimaria a progressive response, he only snarled, "Lay even a finger on Wendy, and you're dead."

He hung up without another word, only dismounting his bike and miserably trudging through the rows of cars in the parking lot of the sanitarium towards where Elfman had agreed to meet up with him.

The Strauss boy's lips were pressed into a grim line as his salmon haired friend approached, seated atop his own bike as he hesitantly asked, "Natsu…what're we supposed to do now?"

The pinkette swallowed heavily, his voice weighty and low as he slowly started, "Three years ago, Zeref used Wendy getting better as leverage, and I made a really stupid decision. I couldn't save Lucy or Gray, and they both suffered when I could've done something to help them. I…" he bit his bottom lip, his brows furrowed, "I don't want to make the same stupid mistake again and end up regretting it."

Elfman's brows cinched in concern as he watched his salmon haired friend go through the pain of choosing to make such a sacrifice.

Natsu blinked rapidly to clear the tears stinging his eyes, clearing his throat in an attempt to ease it of its tightness as he professed, "Getting Lucy and Gray out of Zentopia comes first."

Abandoning his little sister felt wrong, and it made him feel disgusted with himself. But he knew that it was what Wendy would want him to do, so he would see his task through until its end.

* * *

' _Don't trust Laxus.'_

Those words wouldn't get out of Mira's head. They'd been echoing around her mind since she'd received that text from Loke earlier, the fact that the orange haired boy was telling her not to trust his own brother, her _partner_ , keeping her from dismissing the words so easily.

And that wasn't the only thing Loke had told her that was haunting her every thought, the wad of cash she'd found tucked into the compartment in the truck of their cruiser that was meant for the car's hitch proving the orange haired boy's words.

But she couldn't accept it… _wouldn't_ accept it until she'd heard it from Laxus himself. She'd never made her partner out to be someone who would accept bribes from a place like Zentopia, though she was sure that the deal had started on the church's end.

She'd quickly resolved to visit the place herself, to let them know of the horrible deed they'd done by getting Laxus, a man who was fully devoted to his family and justice, involved in a form of corruption like bribery. They'd probably even used his devotion to his family to get to him in the first place, claiming that he could be a good son and brother with the money they provided in exchange for receiving drunks off the street and pardons from their suspected crimes.

Her eyes warily followed the man she recognized as Jude Heartfilia as he set a cup of tea on the coffee table in front of her before vacating the room, her hands clenched into fists in her lap. She'd wanted to look into Zentopia ever since the incident with the Heartfilia patriarch and his daughter in the parking lot of the station only two weeks ago, the pain and suffering in Lucy's irises an image that hadn't left her head for days and days after the event.

But she momentarily forced all thoughts of the Heartfilia girl aside to fulfill the reason she'd come for, her eyes firmly set on the man in the armchair to her right, the one that Jude had called 'Spiritual Father,' as she forthrightly began, "Sergeant Dreyar is like an older brother to me. He and his family looked out for me for my siblings after our parents died, and he even paid my academy tuition himself."

The preacher's lips quirked a fraction at the edges as he hummed, "You must be very grateful then. It seems that Sergeant Dreyar has a kind heart. He must've been gifted it by the Almighty."

Mira lost it at the mention of 'the Almighty,' the term causing the beating she'd witnessed in the station parking lot to bubble to the forefront of her mind once more. She hadn't really been bothering with being polite up until then, but now, she was outright ticked off as she hissed, "You're insane." She shot to her feet, facing the still seated preacher squarely and firmly, "Pastor Gaebolg, you know full well why I'm here and what I'm talking about. If you take advantage of my partner by bribing him again, I _will not_ let it slide. Do you understand?"

The preacher only quirked a brow, obviously not at all threatened by her sharp tone, "I understand that there are dozens of homeless people whom Sergeant Dreyar looks out for and takes care of. In Magnolia, he has the reputation of being a strict, but overall considerate man. It would be a shame if that were to be ruined, wouldn't it?"

"What?" Mira hissed, her jaw clenching. "Are you threatening me?"

"I'm simply pointing out a truth that you've yet to acknowledge and address. Is your petty need for justice really worth all of the hurt you would bring to your partner and his family?" Precht pressed on without remorse. "Do you really think that Sergeant Dreyar and his family would be able to withstand the criticism of the world once his corrupt practices came to light?" He fixed her with a more direct stare, "Do you think _you_ would be able to cope with losing your partner?"

Mira stood completely still, her hands shaking in fists at her sides. Exposing the bribery that had taken place would both affect the church _and_ Laxus. Her partner would be stripped of his rank and taken to prison for police corruption, and instead of alleviating the situation, Mira felt that that would make things worse.

Seeing that his words had got to her, a hint of a smirk splayed across his features, his lips laced with smug satisfaction, "If you really see him as your older brother, you should just go home quickly, and keep your mouth shut. That's the only way you can repay him for what he's done for you."

* * *

Precht was immune to the fearful trembling of the man on the floor of the cell before him, his hands clasped behind his back as he purred, "If you go down into the valley, you'll find the devil in the form of a female police officer with white hair." He crouched down before the man, who was one of the drunks Sergeant Dreyar had brought to them to be 'set back on the right path,' his voice low as he promised, "If you kill her for me, I'll grant you passage onto the Ship of Salvation, and you'll enter paradise."

* * *

Ultear pressed a hand to her head as she stumbled down the path that lead from their bunker to the church, her drug-induced sleep still clinging to the edges of her consciousness. Even if the gravel of the path was killing her bare feet, she didn't trust herself to be able to walk in her heels with how much she was stumbling in a daze, the back of her head still aching and her hair matted with blood where she'd hit it on the bedframe.

Even if her body was still heavy, her thoughts were perfectly clear, her mind running over the note she'd found tucked in her hand upon regaining consciousness.

' _If you want to know where Levy went, look for me quietly.'_

Her jaw clenched at the thought of its author, that wretched betrayer that had made a fool of her by injecting and knocking her unconsciousness with her own drug.

She would do just as his note had advised, and once she'd found him, she'd make him pay.

The dark haired apostle stumbled to a stop just after rounding a bend in the path, her jaw clenching when she saw that he'd come to find her instead, the raven haired boy standing directly in the center of the path and blocking her way to the church. He'd obviously been waiting for her, his glasses missing from his face and his features hardened in a way that she'd never seen before. He'd always seemed so clumsy and considerate before, but now she supposed she meeting the _real_ Gray Fullbuster face-to-face for the first time.

He huffed out a heavy breath when he caught sight of her, not at all shaken by the heated look of disdain she was shooting at him, "So, you finally woke up."

"You're in on this with the rest of those boys, aren't you?" she hissed, her painted lips pulled back in a snarl. "What is your goal? Why do you keep trying to get in our way?"

"Do you _really_ believe that Spiritual Father will lead you to paradise?" Gray pressed on with indignation lacing his tone. "Or do you just _want_ to believe that he will because this world is too much for you to handle?"

Her features lost their edge as she stared at him, silence serving as her only reply.

He cleared his throat, his lips pressing into a grim line as he steadfastly continued on, "The believers here told me that you once you offered your foster daughter to Precht, telling him that you'd make her Spiritual Mother just like you're trying to do to Lucy now. Her name was Meredy, right?"

He received no form of confirmation other than the pooling of tears in her wide-eyed, blank stare.

"Tell me, how can you keep believing in that man when your own daughter killed herself so that she didn't have to marry him?"

The mention of Meredy's suicide finally snapped her out of her silence, the apostle floundering for something to turn the heavy weight he'd shot at her back on him, "You know nothing about me or my daughter, so-"

"If you still really believe that Spiritual Father is who he says he is and that he'll lead you to paradise," he cut her off, knowing that since he'd made his point, there really wasn't a need for him to keep talking to the apostle any longer, "then you can go ahead and tell him about who I really am. But, if you want to watch us expose him for the fraud he is, then just sit back and watch quietly."

Having said all he wanted to, he turned on his heel, leaving her standing in the middle of the forest path all on her own, her eyes wide and her expression frozen in one of disbelief.

He couldn't be sure what she'd end up deciding to do, but at the very least, he figured he'd bought himself a few hours before she revealed who he was, and he could only hope that Natsu would make his move before then.

* * *

Mira swallowed heavily as a familiar car pulled into the spot next to where she'd parked her cruiser, taking one last deep breath to steel her resolve as she exited her vehicle. She didn't want to cause a scene in the station's parking lot, so she'd asked Laxus to meet her at a local parking garage instead, where there wasn't a soul in sight.

She didn't give him the chance to say a single word as he got out of his own car, charging to the back of their cruiser and shoving their trunk open to reveal the stacks of cash splayed out across the compartment, her voice full of spite as she steadily hissed, "You need to confess."

Her partner's eyes went wide, but, to his credit, he got his expression back under control rather quickly, only the tiniest traces of panic in his voice as he started, "Mira, I think you've got the wrong idea. Let me explain-"

"There's nothing left for you to explain! Loke," her voice cut off for a moment as she prepared to face his reaction to the emotional bomb she was about to drop, her voice pained, "he knows…He saw you at Zentopia, and he told me _everything._ "

For a split second, she thought the shifting of his eyes to the side was a sign of the shame he surely must be feeling, but when his lips parted, instead of an apology or confession, all she got was panicked shout of, "Mira, move!"

Her partner didn't wait for her to follow through with his command, forcefully grabbing her shoulders and shoving her aside, ramming her into the still open trunk of their cruiser as the blade that'd been poised to come down in the center of her back was embedded in his shoulder from behind instead.

"Laxus!" Mira's eyes went wide at the sight of blood. She hadn't even heard the man that'd attacked them approaching, and neither had Laxus since it didn't seem like he'd noticed him until the very last second.

Her partner was shoved to the ground as the blade was withdrawn, and, still hungry for the blood of his original target, the rugged man sought to bring his knife down upon her with a shriek of, "You devil!"

She caught his wrist with both hands, using the skill she'd learned at the academy as she kept her grip tight and dove under his arm, twisting his wrist behind him and forcing him to tumble to the ground face-first. She followed through with her momentum, straddling his waist and pinning his wrist to his lower back as she wrestled the knife from his weakening grip. It clattered to the cement next to them and she kicked it away, sending it skidding beneath her cruiser as she snatched her cuffs from her belt, not an ounce of mercy in her movements as she tugged the man's hands together to restrain them behind his back.

With their attacker successfully contained, she lifted her gaze to her partner, finding him standing only a few feet away with his hand pressed to his wounded shoulder, blood streaming from between the cracks of his fingers.

* * *

"Laxus! Are you okay?"

The blond cop's eyes widened at the sound of his Loke's voice, his lips pressing into a grim line and his focus dropping to the white sheets of his hospital bed as his little brother stumbled to a stop next to him, his hands bracing on the metal rails that surrounded the mattress. If what Mira had said earlier was correct, then his little brother knew about the terrible things he'd done, yet he still cared for him enough to be by his side.

In a brief glance up, he caught sight of his little brother's face, double-taking at the bruises on his skin and the bandage's around his head as he hissed, "What the hell happened to you? Where are your glasses?"

Loke grit his teeth for a moment before he ground out, "I got into a stupid street fight. But don't worry about me. You just got stabbed!"

Laxus' gaze shifted to Mira, who sat in a stool beside his bed. She hadn't left his side the entire time he'd been at the hospital, not even when they'd cleaned and bandaged his shoulder before tucking his arm into a sling.

"Mira…Could you give us a second?"

She gave him a soft grin and a knowing nod of her head before she stood, offering him one last look of well-wishes and reassurance.

The orange haired boy took a seat in her stool once she was gone, immediately picking up on the shift in atmosphere as his brother softly started, "Loke…you don't...hate me, right?"

"What? Why are you asking me that out of nowhere?"

Laxus took a deep before he began the long tale of why he'd done what he'd done, not seeking for forgiveness from his brother, but only for understanding.

* * *

Gray had assumed that upon entering Precht's office, he'd either be given new orders pertaining to his calling or that Ultear had told on him and he'd be dealt with accordingly. But what he hadn't been expecting was that he'd come face to face with a friend, the raven haired boy freezing halfway to his seat upon catching sight of the man who'd been conversing with the pastor before he'd entered.

Gajeel was seated on one of the couches in the man's office, an arm thrown over the back of the sofa as he sat comfortably on the leather cushions.

"Don't just stand there. Please, have a seat," Precht invited.

The raven haired boy quickly got a hold of himself and complied, taking a seat on the couch across from the friend he'd met in prison.

Gajeel's eyes followed him the entire time, and Gray supposed he'd gotten the gist of things, because he didn't say a word about how they knew each other, his expression calm but his red eyes alight with intrigue.

"From now on," Precht started evenly, speaking more towards Gajeel than the raven haired boy, "you and Gray will be with me at all times, acting as my guards."

"Why?" the raven haired boy blurted before he could really stop himself, not at all pleased with the that he'd been taken from his role of aiding Lucy instead of the preacher.

"It is your duty as Gatekeeper of Zentopia to protect me," Precht answered firmly, displeased with his next words as he uttered them, "A group of detectives came by earlier this morning, and they insisted on searching the bunker that we use as a warehouse. They'd received a report that we were confining people inside, but of course, they found nothing."

Gray clenched his fists in his lap. He should've known that after what had happened with Loke, they'd clean that wretched place of all the blood that had coated the walls. Natsu had certainly been the one to make the report, and he'd even said that Loke insisted he hadn't been in there on his own, that he'd heard people screaming in the cells next to his during his confinement.

Where those people were when Natsu had rescued his orange haired friend and where they were now was a mystery though.

Precht shook his head in disappointment, "We have nothing against them, but still, it seems as if they're intent on destroying us." He lifted his gaze back to the two boys before him, "That is why I need you with me at all times. Both of you will be rewarded with first class seats aboard the Ship of Salvation on the Day of Reckoning."

Gray swallowed down his anger, forcing a pleasant smile onto his face as he reverently bowed his head to the preacher, "Our wishes be fulfilled."

* * *

Gray didn't waste a second once he and Gajeel had been excused to stand on either side of the door to Precht's office, keeping his voice low as he hissed, "What the hell are you doing here, Gajeel?"

The man only shrugged, his hands tucked in his pockets, "I've been working as a hired hand since I got out. I'm not really sure what's going on up here, but about an hour ago, some blonde chick came to offer me a shit ton of money for protecting some dude named 'Spiritual Father.' I don't what the Governor's hiding here, but-"

"Wait…" the raven haired boy quirked a brow, "Zeref sent you here?"

"More or less. I heard that that Spiritual Father guy asked the Governor protection, which means that he doesn't trust his own people."

Gray bit his lip. Given that conversation between Ultear and Zancrow that he'd overheard and how easy it'd been to make Ultear doubt Precht's spiritually, he wasn't sure that anyone in Zentopia trusted one another anymore.

He let out a heavy breath, "Gajeel…I'm sure you've already caught on, but…this isn't some ordinary church. You need to be careful."

Gajeel only dismissed his warning with a tsk, but Gray could tell that he'd got the message.

Deep down, the raven haired boy was incredibly grateful that Gajeel had shown up. Given their past together, he knew that he now had another ally with him in the church, and just in time, too.

Today was D-day, and once Natsu came, all hell would break loose.

* * *

 **AN**

 **Holy moly, lots happened that chapter.**

 **AAAAHHHH You guys! Only two more chapters. We're soooooo close.**

 **Thank you guys so much for reading and see you next Friday!**


	19. Chapter 19: Promises

**MERRY CHRISTMAS! I wanted to give you guys a Christmas a present, so here it is! It's shorter than other chapters, but it's our last bit of set up before our FINAL chapter on Friday. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Nineteen**

 **Promises**

Gray folded his arms over his chest as he leaned back against a tree, biting his lip in anxiousness as he waited.

He'd asked Gajeel to take over on guard duty while he 'went to the bathroom,' casting Lucy a look when he caught sight of her in the hallway in passing before going to their usual meeting spot in the woods.

The blonde had gotten his message it seemed, fallen leaves and twigs crunching beneath her light steps as she came to stand before him. Her eyes were red and puffy, but he assumed that it was because of Levy's disappearance, so he didn't question her on the matter.

Meeting in broad daylight like they were poised a major risk, so Gray got straight to the point, his voice fully of urgency, "I need you to listen carefully, okay? Because we can't screw this up. Not when we're this close."

"Of course," she nodded her head, her brows cinched in concern and confusion at the imperativeness of his tone.

"Go to Precht and tell him who I really am."

Her eyes widened as she hissed, "What?"

"That's the only way all of this is going to work," he ground out, leaving no room for argument. "They moved all of those people out of that bunker, so when the police came to investigate, they didn't find a thing, which means that Natsu might be charging in here all on his own later today. If I get caught and taken to wherever they're keeping everyone else, I'll find some way to let Natsu know where I am, then he can get that detective he's been working with, and-"

"What the hell are you thinking?" she cut him off, desperate and angry tears gathering in her eyes. "After what happened to Levy, there's no way I could-"

"You have to, Lucy," Gray cut off her protests. "If he finds out that I'm Natsu's friend, I'll find all of those people who disappeared from that bunker. They're the most crucial evidence right now. You need to blow my cover in order for all of this to come to light."

She bit her lip and anxiously shook her head, "I can't. You'll get hurt. You…you could die."

"I won't," he reaffirmed. "I promise I'll be fine, Lucy. And even if I can't do anything to save myself, Natsu's coming tonight. That idiot's too stubborn to let me die. He'll find a way to get me out. Get us _both_ out."

His attempt at lightening the mood didn't have any affect, the blonde's features still troubled as she swallowed heavily before softly breathing out, "Fine. I'll do it, but…you have to do me a favor, too, Gray."

He waited with furrowed brows for her to tell him what she thought he'd be able to do for her while he was locked away.

"I think everything's that's happened these past few days set Precht off. He wants to have the wedding at midnight."

His eyes widened, but before he could say anything, the blonde spoke again.

"I'm not going to fight against him. I'll let him proceed with the wedding."

It was his turn to heatedly hiss, "What?"

"Levy found my phone for me. I've experimented with a few things, and I figured out to how secure it to my leg with bandages. I'll record everything he does to me before he…before…" she couldn't finish the phrase 'before he takes my clothes off,' but the horror and despair on Gray's face let her know that he'd gotten the message. She swallowed heavily again before she finished, "That'll be the most solid evidence we can get."

The raven haired boy huffed out a heavy breath, taking an eager step towards her, "Lucy-"

"He let me go once, Gray," she cut him off, thinking of when Natsu and his friends had stolen her from the van. "He won't let me go again. I know that he'll try to…to have me at all costs."

Gray wasn't one to give up so easily, shifting angrily on his feet with his jaw clenched. It was obvious that he was trying to keep his anger from getting out, but it was blatantly audible in his voice, "Have you lost your mind?"

"No," she firmly pressed, a bit of bite in her tone. She'd had countless people in Zentopia accuse her of insanity, and she wasn't about to let one of her friends think he could get away with attributing her decisions to the very same thing, "I'm perfectly sane. After all these years, I finally have a clear idea of what I can do to take him down for good." She took her own eager step forward, leaving no room for argument as she began, "You said that Natsu's coming, right? Once Precht and I are alone in his room, I'll get him to confess to everything I can. Just before he gets…" she inhaled to calm her shaking hands, "…before he gets what he wants, you guys can barge in and save me."

"That's cutting it way too damn close," he hissed, his irises still shaking in anger.

"I _have_ to do this, Gray," the blonde insisted. "When Natsu first saved me, I came back here because I didn't want to be afraid of them anymore. I don't want to run away. I swore I'd tear this place from the ground with my own hands. To me, this whole thing has never been about just getting out of here on my own. Everything I've done, I've done for Sting and my mom…for Romeo and…and now for Levy." She blinked to clear her eyes of her tears, clenching her hands into fists of determination at her sides, "That's why I'm going to end this place at all costs."

* * *

Lucy could only stare at her father blankly as he set the large box containing her wedding dress next to her on the bed, removing the lid and unfolding the tissue paper around the dress to give her a view of the lace-covered bodice. It was the first time she was seeing the gown, and from what she'd already seen, she assumed that it resembled the black, lace gown she'd worn during her proclamation ceremony.

Precht had picked it for her without giving her a say, assuring her that the dress would suit both their tastes. He'd hummed in satisfaction, claiming that he couldn't wait to see how lovely she would look in the dress he'd chosen for her.

Jude took a seat on the bed on the other side of the box, looking between her and the dress with a proud smile on his face as he hummed, "Your mother will be so happy when she sees you during the ceremony tonight. I'm sure Sting will be happy, too."

The blonde almost snapped back at him that such would _not_ be the case, her spite for him over how he was in the process of ruining every dream and desire she'd ever had that concerned marriage nearly winning over her rationality. But she bit her tongue, only giving a warm smile and humming softly in agreement as she nodded her head.

She couldn't have her father loosing trust in her now, not when they were so close to fulfilling their plans.

She pitied him for how oblivious he was the horror and disgust of the situation, but her anger towards him was greater. Once she and her friends had succeeded in taking down the church, he'd lose everything. Like she'd once vowed, she'd never forgive him for what he'd done to her and her mother, and she hoped he wallowed in that guilt for the rest of his life.

* * *

Layla swiped at the tears that had been sliding down her cheeks as an ambulance came driving up the road in front of Zentopia's sanitarium, the vehicle pulling to a stop only a short distance away from the bench she'd seated herself upon. She'd been let out of her room to get a breath of fresh air, and her emotions had gotten the better of her, her eyes swimming with tears without her volition.

She wanted to see Lucy, and she wanted her husband back.

But neither of those things were possible at the moment, and she didn't know if the later would _ever_ be possible. The Jude that came to visit her every day and tell her proud tales about their daughter completing her training wasn't the man she'd fallen in love with. With the things he done to Lucy, he no longer had the right to call himself the father of their children.

She was drawn from her sorrows when she heard a muffled scream, preceded by a relatively loud bang considering she'd been seated in silence before. Her eyes widened when weak pounding followed the other sounds, her gaze shooting about to pinpoint the source.

It was coming from the ambulance.

Layla shot to her feet, going closer despite the voice in her head telling her that she should stay out of it. Whoever was inside obviously needed help, and the driver had gone inside the sanitarium. With those factors driving her, she figured that she was the only one who could help, a gasp slipping through her lips as she unlatched the swinging doors on the back of the vehicle.

A girl, probably no older than fourteen or fifteen and with blue hair so dark it almost looked purple, was collapsed on her stomach on the floor of the ambulance, clearly having toppled from her bed in an attempt to reach for the latch on the door.

The blond woman's hands shot to the girl's cheeks as she looked her over with wide eyes, "Are you okay, dear?"

The teen pushed herself up to desperately connect her eyes with Layla's, her hands shaking as the found the woman's shoulders, "P-please…"

Layla nodded in encouragement as the girl struggled to huff out her message.

"…call…my br-brother."

"What happened to you?"

Speaking seemed to get easier for the girl the she talked, though her voice was still hoarse and strained as she rasped, "They…they brought me here…against my will."

Layla's heart ached for the young girl when tears gathered in her eyes, gently hugging the teen her chest and rubbing soothing circles on her back, "It'll be okay, sweetie."

"Nat…Nat-su…D-Drag…neel."

The blonde woman pulled back, her brows furrowed in confusion, "Natsu Dragneel? Is that your brother's name?"

Upon receiving a shaky nod, she asked, "Do you remember his number, dear?"

* * *

' _The wedding's at midnight. I'm following through with my plan. I'll see you there.'_

After he'd sent Natsu his final text, Gray did a factory restart of Wendy's phone, ridding it of all of its saved information, including the texts he'd sent while in the church. He didn't think he'd be using it again, and just in case anyone happened upon it now, they wouldn't be able to tell who it belonged to, nor would their plans be found out.

He tucked it back onto its ledge in the vent for safekeeping, sliding the grate back over the hole before turning to exit his stall.

He'd only taken two steps beyond the door when he was met with a shovel to the temple, Loke's glasses flying from his face, and this time, the frames shattered as they hit the floor.

Everything went white for a moment, but when his vision cleared he found himself rumpled on the ground, Jude standing above him with the weapon in his grasp, his features furious, "How dare you try to seduce my daughter into doing evil?!"

Gray ducked his head between his arms when the man made to swing the shovel down upon him again, but the blow never came.

"That's enough, Jude."

The raven haired boy lifted his head at the voice, finding that Precht and Lucy were there too, the trio accompanied by a pair of Zentopia brethren. He hadn't even heard them enter the bathroom, but he supposed they must've been quiet on purpose, to catch him by surprise.

He pressed a hand to his injured temple, letting out a hiss when his fingers quickly became coated with blood. He could feel it running down the side of his face too, and his hair was surely matted to his skin with the liquid.

He tried not to look at Lucy, but it was hard not to look at her and try to reassure her when she looked as terrified for him as she did. Her hands were visibly shaking at her sides although he could tell she was trying to control their quivering. The tears gathering in her eyes were what had him really concerned though, and he supposed they were lucky that he seemed to be the only one looking her way.

The blonde blinked away her tears and forced her voice to be even through the tightness of her throat as she lifted a hand to point, "He said he hid a cellphone in that stall's vent."

One of the brethren he didn't know practically dove in to the stall, returning with the phone in hand, "I found it."

"So it was true," Jude huffed out, his voice heavy with a mix of disappointment and anger.

On the other hand, Precht's expression held no emotion, his voice cold as he simply commanded, "Take him."

To maintain his act, Gray fought against the two brethren as they charged forward to grab him by his arms, hoisting him up and dragging him from the room, "Let me go!"

He gave Lucy a quick and discrete look in passing, one that meant a thousand different things. It was a wish of good luck, a plead for her to stay strong and safe, and a thank you for fulfilling his favor.

There was really no turning back now. The rest of their plan depended almost entirely on Natsu, and Gray had faith that his best friend would follow through.

* * *

Natsu and Elfman had searched everywhere for Wendy, but still, there wasn't a trace of her. They'd been to every hospital, sanitarium, and care center in Magnolia, but her name wasn't on a single patient registry.

It was as if she'd just dropped off the face of the earth, as if Zeref had tucked her away, never to be found again.

Natsu refused to let that happen though. He was still storming Zentopia tonight, but until then, he would use every second he had to search for her. He'd given Jet the clear the publicize the content on Wendy's voice recorder tomorrow morning, and once the whole world knew about Zeref's cruelty, he had confidence that wherever Wendy was, someone there would step forward to let him know that she was safe.

He practically tore his pocket trying to get his phone out of it when it started ringing, his heart leaping when he saw that it was an unknown number. The last time he'd received a call from an unknown number it'd been his sister, and that call had been one of the best phone calls he'd received in his life.

"Hello?"

 _"Is this Natsu Dragneel?"_

His brows furrowed when he realized that the person on the other line kind of sounded a lot like Lucy, his words rushed as he answered, "Yeah, that's me."

The voice on the other side of the line was hushed and just as hurried as his, _"I don't have much time, so listen to me closely. Your sister's safe."_

His eyes went wide.

"Who-" he cut himself off when he decided that that wasn't most important question, instead choosing to ask, "Where is she?"

 _"She's at the Zentopia Sanitarium."_

"Wait!"

The other line had already gone silent.

While he was more than relieved to know where his sister was, her whereabouts hadn't done much to set his heart at ease. She'd been taken to Zentopia, a place of torment and suffering. He told himself that those wretched people wouldn't dare to lay a hand on the Governor's sister since he was one of their allies, but when he thought about it, Zeref might've given them the clear to do whatever they pleased with her.

Which gave him all the more reason to storm the church and tear the place down.

He dialed Loke's number before pressing his phone to his ear once more, his eyes scanning the starlit sky above him.

" _Hey. Where are you?"_

"I have a favor to ask of you."

" _What's up?"_

"I'm about to leave for Zentopia." Natsu took a deep breath, his lips pressing into a grim line, "If you don't hear from me by six o'clock tomorrow morning, go to Mest and report me missing."

Loke's tone grew panicked, _"Wait, Natsu. Don't go on your own. Let's just…Let's meet up and talk things out. Where are you?"_

"Lucy and Gray are waiting for me. I can't let them down."

" _Natsu, w-"_

He hung up before tucking his phone into his pocket, swinging a leg over his bike and sliding his helmet over his head before twisting the keys in the ignition.

It was time to make good on all the promises he'd made.

* * *

 **AN**

 **We've finally got our set up for the final chapter!**

 **I hope you're all having a Merry Christmas! Eats lots of food, spend time with loved ones, chill out and relax, or do whatever you like to do most!**

 **Thanks for reading and see you Friday!**


	20. Chapter 20: We Wait For The Afterglow

**Chapter 20**

 **We Wait For The Afterglow**

The first thing Gray processed upon regaining consciousness was that his head _hurt,_ and his skin was prickling with the sting of the frigid air around him. Whatever surface he'd been thrown onto was freezing, too, and the point where his head met the ground was coated in a slick fluid that matted his hair to his skin.

A hiss of pain accompanied by a deep groan slipped through his lips as the palm of his right hand instinctively came to rest upon his right temple, his fingers slipping against his skin as they came into contact with what he could only assume to be the same blood that was puddling on the floor, his _own_ blood.

It wasn't until he opened his eyes and pushed himself up, catching sight of the people strewn across the steel floor of the barely lit room around him, that he remembered what had happened.

Lucy had 'betrayed' him and told Precht his identity, just like he'd asked of her, and in retaliation, her father had hit him across the head with a shovel when he hadn't been expecting it. He remembered getting dragged from the bathroom by two brethren of Zentopia that he didn't know, but when exactly he'd fallen unconscious between then and now was a complete mystery to him.

But regardless, he'd accomplished his goal, and he'd found where the apostles of Zentopia kept people like him, people that refused to be fooled by their practices and went against the church. If the smell of the room was anything to go by, it had been quite some time since some of his cell mates had taken their last breath, the lack of movement in the room further heightening his suspicions.

Ignoring the pulsing of his head, Gray pushed himself up onto his feet in a crouch, taking a few low steps to get to the person closest to him. His hand settled upon the man's shoulder, his voice hoarse from dehydration as he asked, "Hey…you okay?"

The man's eyes dazedly circled around and failed to focus on him in the dim light of the room as he drearily mumbled, "Home…I want to go home…"

The raven haired boy let out a heavy sigh, withholding the urge to verbally and wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment. Having spent about a week at Zentopia, and even longer concerning himself with Lucy's rescue, he was more than ready to have this entire ordeal over with and be rid of the place. And the time of action was quickly approaching if it wasn't upon them already. Natsu was probably on his way, and once they freed these people, the only thing that remained was to get Lucy out before Precht could fulfill his lewd desires with her.

A raucous cough cut his line of thought short, his wide eyes whipping to the source of the painfully familiar hack. His focus settled upon the back of a head with a mop of raven hair that would've been identical to his own if not for its somewhat lighter shade due to the flecks of gray that were beginning streak through the dark strands.

With his throat tightened in apprehension and dread, he practically dove across the floor to be beside the familiar man, setting a hand on his shoulder before he could stop himself and think things through.

"Please don't hurt me!"

Gray couldn't help but flinch back at the panicked plea that slipped through the man's lips, his hand slipping from his shoulder. Three years ago, the last time he'd heard that voice, it'd been slurred under the influence of alcohol, twisted with the weight of disdain.

" _It'd be better if you'd just die. Leave the same way your mother did and just die, you bastard!"_

"…Dad?" he choked out, both of his hands returning to his dazed father's shoulders.

Everyone in Magnolia knew that the cops often took drunks off the street and dumped them upon Zentopia, but never had he imagined that his father would be one of those unfortunate souls. The thought had never even crossed his mind. "Why…why are you here? Why?!"

Silver hadn't even opened his eyes, though Gray didn't know if it would make a difference, his father way too out of it to recognize him either way. The man only hunched further into where he was propped up against the wall, his hands clasped in front of himself, "Please. Please don't hit me!"

"Dad," he hissed through grit teeth, angry tears flooding his eyes without his volition. "Is…is this why you weren't there when Grandma died?"

His father only continued to mumble wordless nonsense in a desperate plea, but Gray had asked his question while already knowing the answer, his hands slipping from Silver's shoulder's and curling in to fists.

He needed to punch something, or preferably, _someone_ , but the steel floor and walls were his only options, so his fists were met with only cold metal. He'd hated his father for years, but their shared blood meant his care for the man was ingrained into his very being, and it seemed he'd finally found people he could hate more than the man who'd abused him as a kid.

The apostles of Zentopia and their stupid preacher….he was going to kill them all himself.

* * *

Loke hissed in pain through clenched teeth as he twisted his steering console to bring his bike to a stop in front of his friend's mechanic shop, setting both of his feet on the ground to keep himself balanced while he waited.

Because of his bruised ribs and concussion, he wasn't supposed to be driving, or doing much of anything really. But Natsu, the idiot, was rushing off to save Lucy and Gray on his own, so the orange haired boy had taken it upon himself to remind the salmon haired boy that they were a group of four, not just two. Natsu and Gray always had liked doing things on their own, and he knew that Natsu felt like he had to make up for the wrongs he'd done Gray and Lucy in the past, but that didn't mean the pinkette could play hero all on his own. Charging off by himself like he was was incredibly stupid, and so was Gray's plan of turning himself in, but Loke would be damned if he let his friends be stupid with him and the fourth member of their group.

He let out a heavy, somewhat annoyed sounding sigh as Elfman finally ran from the front of the shop to squeeze onto the seat behind him, grinding out over his shoulder, "What took you so long?"

"I was just making a call," the Strauss boy shifted as he settled in, maneuvering a bag of tools across his lap and sliding a helmet onto his head.

"Whatever," he huffed. "You ready?"

"Yeah."

Loke clenched his hands to rev his bike, a stream of determination flooding through him, "Let's go."

* * *

Lucy numbly stared at her reflection in the mirror as a Zentopia sister she didn't know brushed her loosely curled hair behind her shoulders, leaving her bangs to frame her face while securing the top third of her hair with a simple white, beaded pin at the back of her head.

As a little girl, she'd often dreamt of the day she'd get to wear a wedding dress, the day where she'd finally get to look like a real princess.

The moment wasn't supposed to happen like this. She was supposed to be in a dress of her choosing with her mother helping her get ready instead of some woman she didn't know, and she was supposed to marrying a man she loved, not a preacher she loathed.

But instead, that was the situation she found herself trapped in, standing before the mirror in the dress Precht had picked out for her. Like she'd assumed upon first catching sight of the bodice, it did resemble the black gown she'd worn for her proclamation ceremony, it was only more grand given the occasion it was meant for. The top of her lace bodice swept from shoulder to shoulder in a boat neckline, leaving her collarbone completely exposed. The sleeves only extended to her elbows, and the skirt was much puffier than the other gown, the satin flowing out in an A-line from where the dress hugged her waist to dust across the floor.

She'd been given a pair of white heels, too, the stiff material of the shoes already making her feet ache even though she'd been wearing them for only about five minutes.

The shoes were far from her greatest concern though, because after the wedding ceremony, she'd be experiencing something much more painful and daunting.

She trusted Natsu, Gray, and their friends with her whole heart, and she had faith that they would save her, like they'd promised. But even subjecting herself to Precht's desires for that little moment before he got her clothes off was enough to get her heart pounding in fear, even if she'd long since resolved that she would do it.

And there was this little voice in the back of her head that _would not_ shut up no matter how hard she fought to drown it out. It whispered doubtful thoughts, reminding her that every attempt at freedom and taking the church down that she'd made previously had failed horribly. Romeo's death and Levy's disappearance served as proof of that fact.

But as she remembered their faces, as she thought of Sting and her mother, she brought the reasons for her actions to the forefront of her mind once more. Everything she did, she did for them, and when compared to her love for them, her own safety meant nothing, so she would give everything she had to her cause.

She would save everyone in this place, no matter what.

* * *

Natsu hadn't stopped heaving for breath ever since he'd parked his bike outside of the gate of Zentopia before jumping it, the crisp mountain air rushing in and out of his lungs and only making his breathing heavier. He considered himself pretty athletic, but he supposed the uncertainty and gravity of the situation was causing his chest to tighten, his knuckles white as he anxiously gripped his phone. His eyes only left the map he had pulled up to scan his surroundings to make sure he was alone on his climb up the forest path, the stars and the red steeple in the distance his only sources of light.

He was tracking Gray's smartwatch, mentally thanking whatever God was really up there that the apostles of Zentopia had probably been too blinded by their rage to notice and strip the raven haired boy of the accessory. Natsu had been the one to buy it for him before his rival had gone to Zentopia, and while the raven haired boy had never risked using it for communication like Natsu had intended, the salmon haired boy was eternally grateful for it now. Without it, he would've had no clue where to go to find his best friend, and then their entire plan would've been put at stake.

The salmon haired boy slowed to a halt as he came to a fork in the path, glancing down at his phone once more.

It was midnight, and although it killed him to do it, Natsu forced his focus away from the steeple of the church where he knew the wedding was occurring, adhering to Lucy's plan and going for Gray first instead, taking off into the woods where he knew his best friend would be.

* * *

Lucy kept her head bowed even as Precht finished what she assumed were his vows, though he hadn't said a word about her, only professing his devotion to the Almighty.

At least in one sense, it seemed like the preacher had been right when he'd said that the wedding would be purely spiritual. She hadn't been told to sign a single contract, and there wasn't even a pair of rings for them to give each other. There was no marriage officiant other than Precht himself, and not even his apostles were present at the ceremony in the chapel.

There was only the two of them, both kneeling on the stand across from one another while the congregation watched on silently, their eyes squeezed shut and their hands clasped in front of their chest in prayer.

With his vows completed, the preacher stood, offering his bride his hand. Lucy knew what he wanted, so she stayed kneeling on the floor, with the skirt of her wedding gown pooling around her, as she reached up to take his hand between both of her own, forcing herself to become detached from the moment as she leaned forward, lightly pressing her lips against his knuckles.

Precht smiled proudly, relishing in the feeling of his bride's lips against his skin as he turned to his people, proclaiming in a loud voice, "Everyone, rejoice, for on this day, you shall find salvation by Lucy's hand. Through her sacrifice, we will all be cleansed of our sins, and return into the Almighty's arms once more."

The congregation erupted in a mighty roar, and none in the room except for the pair on the stand were still.

* * *

Natsu couldn't help but get a serious sense of déjà vu as he peeked through the metal grates that acted as windows on the doors of the cells in Zentopia's bunker, his mind flashing back to only the night before when Loke had been taken prisoner.

He could only hope that he didn't find Gray in a similar state as the orange haired boy, but since he knew what the people of Zentopia were like, admittedly, his hopes weren't too high.

To say the least, he'd been more than just a little confused when the tracker had told him that Gray was in the bunker. Mest had told him about how it had been void of anything suspicious when he and his detective buddies had come earlier in the day, and it seemed like the bunker was in a similar state now, not a sign of life in any of the cells.

"Gray?" he called out, raising his voice the second time around. "Gray!"

His eyes widened when he actually got a reply, though the voice was muffled by metal.

"Natsu!"

"Gray?!" he hissed out, trying to pinpoint the source.

"Natsu! I'm in here!"

His good hearing lead him to the row of three lockers at the end of the hallway of cells, his jaw clenching in determination when he realized that the lockers weren't secured to the walls by any means, which meant they could easily be moved away with a little bit of strength.

He took a deep breath and shook his hands out in preparation before hugging the first of the three lockers in the row, gritting his teeth as he wrapped his hands around the edges and used all of his strength to lift the heavy metal box enough to drag it out from where it stood.

A loud clang echoed throughout the bunker as he set the locker back on its base, but he was too concerned with his friend to care, quickly turning back around while his hands shot to the latch of the large metal door he'd revealed.

The door swung away from him as he slid the cylinder of the lock, light flooding into the previously hidden room before him.

The pinkette nearly tackled Gray in a hug as the raven haired boy's bruised face greeted him on the other side, but at the last second, he reminded himself that they were rivals, and the blood streaming down the side of Gray's face was a sure sign that he was injured and probably couldn't handle the tackle.

So instead, Natsu looked past the raven haired boy, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of the bodies strewn across the floor of the room his rival resided in, "What the hell is this place?"

Before Gray could answer, the sound of a large door opening and slamming echoed through the steel walls of the bunker, the pair both ducking inside the room and pressing themselves against the walls in preparation to launch an attack as the raven haired boy hissed, "Someone's coming."

The sound of a pair of footfalls met their ears, and they were approaching their location fast, the locker in the middle of the hallway a sure sign of where the intruders were.

Natsu and Gray shared a look, the pair in unison as they sprung from their hiding spot with their fists poised to punch.

They were met with a pair of shrieks that barely passed for battle cries, Loke and Elfman's eyes going wide at their sudden appearance.

Gray sucked in a heavy breath and all but collapsed back against the wall in relief as Natsu hissed, "Fucking hell, you guys!"

Elfman lowered the hammer he'd raised in defense, his brows furrowed as he took in the blood on his friend's face and shirt, "Gray, are you okay?"

The raven haired boy could only manage a nod in response, heavy breaths still rushing in an out of his lungs.

Natsu decided to get straight to the point, not acknowledging Loke's shocked gasp as the orange haired boy caught sight of the people in the room behind Gray, "Call Mest, and get these people to the hospital. You two should stay and make sure that nothing happens to them until he gets here."

Loke gave him a nod, "What about you guys?"

Natsu shared another look with Gray, his fists clenching at his sides in determination, "We're going to save Lucy."

* * *

Layla stayed frozen at the end of the hallway that led from the door into her hospital room, her eyes never leaving the dark haired apostle who stood by the bed.

She'd come back from her shower to find Ultear standing silently in her room, her hand full of the red pills that the blonde had previously tucked under her mattress. Not knowing what else to do, Layla had simply frozen in place, waiting for the woman to lash out and tranquilize her like she'd done the last time she'd misbehaved.

But contrary to what she'd expected, Ultear didn't sound angry when she spoke, only sounding defeated as she stared at the small cluster of piles in her palm, "You and your daughter were being controlled by the devil. That's why these pills never worked on you." She curled her fingers around them, finally lifting her gaze to the blonde woman, "I never should've allowed Spiritual Father to bring your family here. I thought I was doing the right thing, and saving people's lives, but now…"

Layla took the opportunity to speak once the apostle's voice had faded out, her tone gentle and tentative, "I heard that you were once a mother yourself." Her eyes swam with tears, "Do you really want Lucy to face the same fate your daughter did? Since you were a mother too, you must understand. So please…help me get her out."

Ultear only stared at her in blank silence for a moment before she stepped to the side, allowing Layla to see the duffle bag she'd set on the bed as she emotionlessly remarked, "These are your clothes. You'll stand out in your patient's uniform, so change quickly and get out of here."

"What about Lucy?" Layla took an eager step forward, "You expect me to leave without my daughter?"

"It's too late for her," Ultear sharply hissed, her eyes suddenly cold. "She's already been taken into Spiritual Father's room to be bedded."

Layla's eyes widened, a sharp intake of breath slipping through her lips as she shot forward to yank the bag from the bed, running from the room without another word.

After she was gone, Ultear stayed standing by the bed, her voice light as she whispered, "I did the right thing, right, Meredy?"

* * *

Lucy made sure to keep her back impeccably straight as she sat upon the white sheets of Precht's bed, her hands clasped tightly together and resting in her lap atop the puffy material of the skirt of her wedding dress.

She didn't think anyone could deny this place's status as a cult once they saw the preacher's bedroom. There had to be nearly a hundred candles in the small space, their melted wax spilling across the wooden surfaces they rested on. A good portion of them were lit, and since there were no windows, the only other light in the room came from a large, illuminated, red cross that was mounted on the beige wall above the headboard of the bed. Something she could only describe as a stone altar rested off to the side in an alcove, a jewel encrusted box set atop its flat surface.

The blonde steadfastly kept her gaze focused straight forward as Precht took a seat beside her on the bed, his eyes raking up and down her tense frame in admiration.

"You don't have to be afraid, Lucy," he purred, reaching out to sweep her hair over her shoulder, revealing her neck to his gaze. He trailed his fingertips down her jaw before continuing lower, a moan of satisfaction slipping through his lips. "I promise..." he hummed deep in his throat as his fingers ran over her collarbone, his eyes dipping lower and settling on his neck target, "…you'll enjoy this, too. And if you don't…" his lips twisted in a cruel smile as knuckles began to trace over the swell of her breast, "your pain will be over very shortly."

Lucy's resolve snapped, inhaling sharply as her hand instinctively shot to curl around his wrist before he could touch her any further, her finger nails digging into his flesh as she set her glare on him.

"Don't refuse," with a sly grin still upon his features, he spoke as if she were nothing but a foolish child, leaning in close so that their faces were only inches apart, "the touch of the Almighty."

He yanked his wrist free of her trembling grasp, and before she could react, his hands were upon her shoulders, shoving her backwards onto the bed so he could crawl atop her quivering form.

* * *

Gray huffed out a heavy breath as he gave up on standing on his own two feet, his entire weight crumpling into the grasps of the two Zentopia brethren that were restraining his arms. It was his turn to be overcome with a strange sense of déjà vu, his head pounding as his gaze exhaustedly trailed from the ground up to the man in front of him. Lucy's father stood over him once more, a shovel, probably the same one he'd used last night, clutched in his grasp and poised to strike.

Maybe telling Natsu he could charge on ahead when they'd encountered Jude and two brethren standing guard in front of the church had been a little overconfident on the raven haired boy's part, but his mind had been too preoccupied with making sure that they rescued Lucy to be concerned over his own ability to win against three full-grown men.

They'd got a hold of him fairly easy, his lack of sleep and the pounding of his head keeping him from thinking clearly and taking away a good portion of his coordination.

"You filth," Jude hissed, raising his shovel higher, "I'll make you regret ever messing with my daughter."

Gray ducked his head as Jude swung, but the hit never came.

Instead, a pang rang through the air, and he opened eyes to see Jude crumpling to the ground, unconscious in the dirt before him. His eyes drifted upwards, catching sight of a smug Gajeel standing where Lucy's father had been, a steel bat in his right hand.

"It's about damn time," Gray hissed, yanking one of his arms free to punch the man holding the other in the face just as Gajeel whapped his bat across the other man's head.

The raven haired boy rolled out his shoulders once he was free, but there wasn't a moment of rest to be had. Their fight in the courtyard in front of the church had garnered some attention, and there was a wave of Zentopia believers rushing down the stairs towards them, angry shrieks and hollers flowing from their mouths in a continuous stream.

Gajeel quirked a brow and cast the other boy a sideways glance, "You ready to get the best work out of your life?"

Gray only rolled his eyes.

"Can I have the honors?"

"Go right ahead," the raven haired boy swept his arm out in a grand gesture to give his friend the leeway of delivering the first blow, taking a deep breath before charging into the fray himself.

* * *

"To cleanse you of your sins," Precht buried his nose in the crook of his bride's neck before trailing across her collarbone and down further towards her breasts, breathing in the scent of the skin he'd exposed by unlacing the top of the back of her gown, "you must reveal every inch of your body to me and let our souls become as one."

Knowing she didn't have a chance at breaking free, Lucy squeezed her eyes tightly shut, her wrists pinned to the bed on either side of her head by his hands. When he pulled back, she fixed her glare on him once more, her voice choked audibly choked with fear but forcibly strong as she ground out, "Your talk of spiritual cleansing is nothing but lies!"

"Don't try to fight this, Lucy," he purred, immune to her harsh jabs. "I want to spend as much time as possible cleansing you before your life in this world comes to an end."

Her eyes widened at his words.

"What?" he chuckled deeply at her reaction, staring into her wide eyes with amusement in his own. "Did that Dragneel boy tell you nothing? He loves you, so I was sure that he'd find some way to get a message to you after I told him about my plans."

Lucy's thoughts were momentarily taken away from the present, her mind filling with memories of a salmon haired boy.

Natsu…loved her?

With how broken she'd become, she hadn't thought that anyone would be able to love her ever again, but now that she thought over how he'd rushed to her aid after three years of having no contact, of the time she'd spent with him in Erza's apartment, she realized that the preacher's words were true, and Natsu's actions finally made sense. He wasn't just being kind to her to make up for what he'd done in the past. He'd fully devoted himself to her, risked his life for her, and still he kept on giving, never letting anything deter him from the path he'd taken to save her.

A cruel chuckle brought her mind rushing back to the present, Precht's lips twisting in a pleased sneer above her, "Though I suppose that's why Gray Fullbuster was here. They'll both pay for their transgressions soon enough." He ran his gaze up and down her prone form once more, his eyes lingering on her chest before they found the delicate features of her face again, "Once I've cleansed you and you've become Spiritual Mother, I will take your life upon that altar. You will serve as our scapegoat, and guide those who follow you into the afterlife onto the Ship of Salvation."

Fear spiked through her, but she didn't forget her plan.

"How many were there?" she shakily questioned, her voice growing louder with every word that slipped through her lips. "How many people have you killed?!"

"The number is of no concern, for we will all meet again in paradise." Precht's voice became disgustingly sweet, and she was sure that one of his hands would've been lightly tracing across her skin if he hadn't been pinning her wrists as he breathed, "Sting, Romeo, and Levy…their deaths are temporary, and you'll soon see them again."

Tears flooded her eyes when he mentioned her twin and the boy who'd become like her little brother, her throat growing tight when he confirmed her worst fears about Levy. A single word slipped through her lips, softly at first, but then again in a shriek, "Murderer…You're a murderer!"

His right hand left her wrist only to find purchase on her cheek, her head snapping to the side as he sharply slapped her with all of the strength he could muster. A whimper slipped through her lips as her cheek began to burn following the impact, and in her daze, she didn't realize that both of her wrists were now free of his caging grasp.

The blonde's eyes widened as something hit the mattress beside her head, looking up to find that Precht that had stripped himself of his suit jacket and undone the first button of his white shirt, his hands shooting to thread through the hair on either side of her face to keep her head still as he leaned down to smash his lips against hers.

Lucy prepared herself for the worst, tears slipping down her cheeks when his weight settled more heavily onto her as he dove for her mouth.

The contact never came.

She watched as a tanned hand harshly curled itself into the flesh of Precht's left shoulder from behind, the preacher instinctively turning to see who had taken hold of him only to have his head whipping back in the other direction as another tanned fist was buried in his jaw. The preacher was shoved off of the blonde, tumbling from the bed and crumpling to the floor.

More tears, tears of relief this time, slipped down her cheeks as a head of pink hair filled the space above her where Precht had formerly been, her voice choked as she breathed out, "Natsu."

His hands firmly wrapped around her arms to peel her trembling form from the mattress, one hand keeping its tight grip on her to steady her on her feet while the other gently cupped her jaw and cheek, urging her quivering eyes to make contact with his, "I'm not too late, am I?"

She anxiously shook her head. He'd arrived just in time.

"Let's go," he kept a tight grip on her arm as he protectively shoved her in front of him on their charge out of the room, knowing they didn't have a second to waste even though he wanted nothing more than to check over her himself.

It only took him a moment to be grateful for his choice of keeping the blonde in front of him, something heavy slamming down on the middle of his back the second he'd pushed her through the door.

He whipped around to find Precht with a candelabra in his hand, the pinkette's arm shooting up to block the second attack and bury his fist in the preacher's jaw once more, "You bastard!"

Precht stumbled backwards into the mattress, shifting it from its frame, his feral glare never leaving hte salmon haired boy, "You can't beat me! I'm the Almighty!"

Natsu caught his wrist as the preacher charged forward to punch him, keeping a tight grip on him as he punched him thrice this time before shoving him back with a foot to the chest, sending him crumpling onto the mattress once more, "You're no god. You're just a sick twisted man. You'll rot in jail for what you've done."

* * *

Lucy didn't fully leave Precht's bedroom until Natsu was coming out right behind her, the pinkette's heavy breathing following her out into the hallway.

"Natsu," she breathed, catching hold of one of his arms, "Thank you. If you hadn't have heard me that night, I don't know what I would've done."

He looked like he wanted to say something in return, but before a single word could slip through his lips, she heard a cry of her name from down the hallway.

"Lucy!"

She spun to see her mother bolting towards her, the blonde girl running to meet her and wrap Layla in her arms, "Mom!" She held the woman tightly, basking in the first moment she'd shared with her mother since she'd fully returned to her senses. She could feel tears on the skin of her neck, and she wiped them from her mother's cheeks when they pulled apart, Layla doing everything she could to tug the loose dress higher on her daughter's frame to preserve the innocence that'd nearly been stolen from her.

"Lucy! Natsu!"

Her head whipped around at the second cry of her name, catching sight of Gray charging towards them. He was cover in blood, sweat, and dirt, but his face brightened when he saw the pair of blondes and his best friend.

He, like Natsu, was breathing heavily as he came to a stop beside Lucy, "Are you okay?"

She nodded and hummed in affirmation, her arms still wrapped around her mother's waist.

"Did your plan work?"

Instead of giving him a verbal answer, she bent down to tug the many layers of the puffy dress of her skirt upwards, revealing her bare feet, since she'd long since lost her heels, and pale legs. Despite her mother's surprised gasp, she kept tugging the skirt higher until she could reach the spot on her thigh where she'd secured her phone, slipping her fingers beneath the bandages she'd wrapped it in and yanking it free. She gave the two boys before her an exhausted attempt at a triumphant grin as she breathed out, "It's all recorded on here. He admitted to murder, so there's no way he won't be arrested."

Natsu let out a heavy sigh of relief, swiping the back of his hand across his forehead to flick away the sweat clinging to his brow, "Good. It's all finally over." He took the phone from her grasp and tucked it into his pocket for safe keeping, looking between the three in the hallway with him, "Let's get the fuck out of here."

They turned to start down the hallway, Natsu and Gray moving to lead the charge while Layla and Lucy were left to trail behind, the former with her arm wrapped tightly around her daughter's waist.

The triumphant atmosphere shattered as Lucy shrieked, the girl getting yanked backwards from her mother's grip as fingers threaded through her golden locks from behind. Her back collided with a strong chest as an arm wound around her neck, the sharp edge of a blade slicing across her throat.

"Lucy!"

She heard Natsu shriek her name, but the feel of blood sliding down her throat had her feeling hazy. She didn't think that the blade hadn't cut deep enough to puncture any arteries, but the dagger that was still held firmly against her skin by the arm around her throat had her thoughts going blurry, the other arm of her captor winding around her middle to keep her back against their chest.

"Lucy!"

It had been her mother that time, and the blonde's eyes lazily rolled to settle on the blonde woman. Gray arms were wrapped around Layla's middle, holding her back from charging to save her daughter since there was still a blade held to her throat, the raven haired boy's expression one of shock and rage.

Her eyes dazedly found Natsu next, finding that he was visibly fighting to keep himself from lunging forward, every muscle in his body tensed and his features furiously set ablaze as he heatedly ground out, "Drop the knife!"

The chest behind her vibrated with a deep, sinister chuckle, "You'll never make it out of this place alive. My believers will tear you to shreds when they realize that you've tried to steal away their Spiritual Mother again."

The blonde's brows furrowed, wondering why it'd taken her so long to realize and process that the person holding her was Precht. She didn't feel like she'd lost that much blood, though she could feel it dampening the front of her wedding gown already, but maybe the situation in itself was making her lightheaded.

"You're finished, bastard," Natsu hissed. "We've got evidence against you, so there's no point in keeping this up any longer. You've lost."

"I've not lost as long as I still have her," Precht cruelly purred, his breath puffing through the hair near her ear.

The pinkette had had enough, taking a charged step forward and still resisting the urge to tackle the preacher. If the dagger hadn't been held against her throat, he would've pounded the man into the floor until he'd bled dry, "Let her go!"

"If you follow us," Precht tugged the blonde even closer against him as he started to charge backwards down the hallway opposite the direction the group had been headed and Lucy whimpered as the blade sunk into her skin once more, her bare feet futilely digging into the floor in an attempt at resistance, "I'll kill her."

"Lucy!"

She heard Natsu scream her name one last time before she was drug around the corner, Precht's blade never leaving her throat.

Despite the preacher's warning, the three were moving from where they'd been fearfully and furiously frozen in place as soon as the pair had disappeared around the corner, Natsu taking off particularly fast after them.

A sharp gasp from behind him had him whipping back around to find Layla collapsed to the floor, her still recovering body and the stress weakening her and stealing away her consciousness.

Gray was already on his knees at her side, his eyes hardening into a glare when he looked up to find that Natsu was torn between going after Lucy and helping her mother. He nearly rolled his eyes at his best friend's stupidity, hissing out, "I'll take care of her, so go! Save Lucy!"

Natsu clenched his hands into fists, not needing to be told twice as he took off down the hallway.

* * *

Loke kept a steady gaze on the dark forest around them as he and Elfman descended the mountain path from the bunker to the main road of Zentopia, a cluster of the people that had been imprisoned, the ones that were still alive, stumbling down the path with them.

The forest was suspiciously quiet, the orange haired boy's eyes narrowed as he hissed, "You would think with all the hell Natsu and Gray are most likely raising, someone from the church would've found out about us by now. This seems way too easy."

To his surprise, Elfman just shrugged, "There probably would've been lots of people coming after us, but I called in the cavalry, so we'll be fine."

With his brows furrowed, Loke turned to question his friend, "The… _cavalry_?"

* * *

Gajeel could only quirk a brow as the crowd of Zentopia believers before him were taken out one by one, his steel bat slung over his shoulder and ready to swing if anyone so much as stepped in his direction. He'd knocked a fair share of his own unconscious, but now, instead of fighting himself, he was more invested in watching the brawl, his eyes jumping between the strangers that he assumed were on his side.

The quintet had shown up in a police cruiser out of nowhere just when he'd dismissed Gray from his side, and they'd immediately taken action, jumping into the fight and taking a stand against every new group of Zentopia believers that rushed to the scene.

While the blue haired guy with the red tattoo on his face was holding up just fine with his punching and kicking, and Gajeel could tell from his style that he'd grown up on the street, it was the four chicks that really surprised him, the scarlet haired one in particular fighting with a kind of dexterity and strength he'd never seen a girl possess. She didn't seem to be used to fighting with just her bare hands, but she knew just where to strike her opponents to take them out of the fight, and her sense of where attacks were coming from was impeccable.

The white haired chick in the cop uniform was keeping up just fine too, her moves near parallel to the redhead's in skill and strength.

One of the other girls, a blue haired one in a pizza shop uniform of all things, was doing a lot of jabbing of her own, shouting about her passion for the color gray for whatever reason, her proclamations seemingly only giving her more drive.

The last of the four girls was probably lacking skill the most, but the curly-haired brunette was holding her own just fine nonetheless, punching and kicking with her own brand of ferocity as she swore up and down like a sailor.

With the number of unconscious bodies on the ground, Gajeel knew there couldn't have been many more people that Zentopia had to spare, so to end things quickly, he swung his bat from his shoulder to charge back into the fray with a chuckle.

It'd been a long time since he'd had this much fun.

* * *

"Ya know, the Chief's gonna pissed when he finds out that you dragged all of us up here again. And you brought a bunch of ambulances this time too, so he's probably gonna kill you, actually. It was a complete waste of time this morning."

Mest clenched his jaw as the subordinate next to him complained, his eyes scanning the forest around them as they traveled up the bumpy road to Zentopia.

"We received this call from Sergeant Dreyar's little brother, and Officer Strauss called in a disturbance at the church herself, so shut it," he lifted his leg and brought it back down so that his heel landed on his subordinate's toes, his focus turning to the man driving their vehicle as he hissed, "Drive faster."

* * *

Lucy had to fight to keep her eyes open as Precht dragged her into the chapel, his blade still pressed firmly against her throat and demanding obedience and more blood. With every slice of the dagger across her skin and with every drop of blood that slid down her neck, the more she felt like she was losing herself, her head going foggy. Without her heels, more of her wedding dress dragged against the floor, and both she and Precht had fought not to trip over its tresses as he'd dragged her stumbling frame through the church.

Now that they were in the chapel, Lucy didn't know what he was planning on doing with her, but his voice briefly chased those concerns from her mind, her eyes blearily shifting to land on the subject of his aghast question.

"Apostle Milkovich, what are you doing?"

The blonde inhaled sharply despite her bleariness when she caught sight of Ultear, the apostle dousing everything on the stand in gasoline.

"I received a commandment from our Almighty," she righteously proclaimed as she threw the can aside. "He ordered me to cleanse this place, so I'll burn this church down and rid it of every last sin." She reached into the pocket of her skirt and withdrew two items, holding one of them proudly for the pair to see, "We'll be reborn and start anew."

"Have you lost your mind?!"

Lucy's body collapsed to the floor as Precht's arms withdrew from around her, the blade accidentally swiping across her throat one last time in his hurry, her head lulling against the floor and her eyes dazedly following the preacher as he charged onto the stand with his dagger held at the ready.

But Ultear was quicker, ducking beneath his first swipe and maneuvering the second object she'd withdrawn to stab it into his shoulder upon shooting back up to her full height, her teeth grit as the needle of her syringe disappeared into his flesh.

Precht almost immediately crumpled to his knees, a grunt flying from his lips as he tore the now half empty syringe from where she'd stabbed it in. He fought against the pull of the tranquilizer for a moment, but the damage had already been done, his upper body collapsing to the floor. He was still conscious but unable to move, using every last bit of will he had to stay awake.

Ultear stood triumphantly over him, her lighter still in hand as she lifted her gaze from the preacher on the floor in front of her to the girl that lay prone in the middle of the chapel. Her chocolate brown eyes had fallen shut, and judging from the amount of blood pooling on the floor around her and turning her white dress and golden locks a gruesome shade of red, the blonde was already dead.

She swallowed heavily, thinking of her own daughter as she sincerely professed, "I'm sorry, Lucy. But be comforted, for you'll be with your brother soon in paradise, and both of you shall be reborn by the grace of the Almighty."

She flicked the spark wheel of her lighter, throwing it onto the gasoline-soaked stand before leaving the chapel, her calling having been fulfilled.

* * *

"What about Lucy?"

Gray tightened his grasp around Layla's shoulder, tucking her further into his side as he helped out of one of the church's side exits, "She'll be okay. Natsu's gonna save her, so you don't have worry."

Before Layla could respond, the sound of footfalls on the dirt ground met their ears, two figures flying around the corner of the church and stumbling into the light of the exit behind them.

The raven haired boy's eyes widened as he caught sight of Kain and Zancrow, having nearly forgotten about the two apostles. The pair seemed just as surprised to see him as he felt at seeing them, both slowing to a halt only a short distance away.

Gray's focus dropped to the duffle bag in Zancrow's hand and immediately knew what was inside, his eyes narrowing and his voice cold as he spat, "So that's your game? As soon as stuff goes wrong, instead of trying to fix things you grab the cash from the donation box and bolt? Some devoted apostle you are."

"You," Zancrow hissed back, his crimson eyes alight with fury. "This whole place has gone to hell, because of you and your little rat friends. You'll pay dearly for what you've done."

Layla squeezed Gray's arm in fear, her eyes wide as she stared at the two apostles, "What should we do?"

He swallowed heavily, "Stay behind me, okay?"

He knew there was no chance at him taking them both on, and being exhausted as he was, he didn't know if he'd be able to even taken one of them down on his own. But it was his only choice, so he shrugged out of Layla's tight grasp, clenching his fists as he took an apprehensive step forward.

"Hey, Mr. Greasy Hair."

His focus shot behind Zancrow and Kain, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the mismatched group that was rounding corner where the pair of apostles had come from.

Gajeel was the one who spoken, and he stood at the head of the group with his steel bat comfortably swung over his shoulder. Erza, Mira, Juvia, Cana, and Jellal trailed after him, each sporting their own fair share of bruises and scrapes, but their features still alight with the will to fight.

Juvia's features in particular lit up upon catching sight of him, and he knew she would've run to tackle him if not for the opponents that stood between them, "Gray!"

Gajeel quirked a pierced brow, looking between the pair of apostles and where the raven haired boy still stood protectively in front of Layla, "These chances are bit unfair, don't you think?"

"Mr. Gatekeeper," Zancrow sneered in response. "And you've brought friends."

"Eh, friends is a bit of a stretch," Cana shrugged, pursing her lips. "More like 'forced acquaintances' if you will."

Gajeel dismissed her words with a roll of his eyes, "I've been waiting to beat you up ever since I first saw your face. We'll get you all bloody and then turn you in so you can rot in jail."

"Do you really think you can turn me in without consequences?" the blond apostle chuckled, his eyes cruelly shifting to Mira, "If you take me in, your dear partner will go down with me. I'll tell the authorities about ever little bribe Sergeant Dreyar's accepted."

Mira clenched her jaw, her gaze sharp and pinning, "Those who have sinned must be punished. Laxus knows that better than anyone, and he's has already admitted to his crimes. You're too late to use him against us."

Erza took a step forward, turning Zancrow's own words back on him, "You'll pay dearly for what you've done."

* * *

"No!"

The breath was stolen from Natsu's lungs as he finally found the end of the splotchy and smeared blood trail he'd been following, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the limp body illuminated by the flames crawling across the stand and up the back wall of the chapel.

The door slammed shut after him as he shot forward, the pinkette nearly tearing holes in the knees of his jeans as he slid to kneel by her side with a desperate cry of, "Lucy!" His hands found her cheeks and he cradled her face, tears burning his eyes when her features didn't even flinch in response to his touch, when her eyes didn't flutter open, "You've been so strong this entire time, so you can't give up now, Lucy!"

He had to get her off of this floor, out of this burning room and save her like he'd promised he would. He slid one of his arms beneath her back, her blood-soaked and curled golden strands tumbling over the other side of his arm and brushing against the floor while his other arm fought to navigate through the tresses of her wedding dress to find the crooks of her knees. Once she was safely cradled in his grasp, he began to hoist her light frame from the floor, trying to be strong despite the tears streaming down his cheeks, "Come on, Lucy! You told me that you'd get out of this place and live life outside again, so you can't die! I promised I'd save you, so I ain't gonna let you!"

His shrieking roused the nearly unconscious preacher on the stand, the salmon haired boy noticing him for the first time as he furiously slurred, "I'm…the Almighty. I'm immortal…I can't die!"

The flames trailed down the side of the pulpit, skittering across a puddle of gasoline to crawl onto Precht's pant leg. The man shrieked in agony as the flames bit at his skin, and simultaneously, the stand began to collapse, the red cross on the back wall the first thing to crumple from its mount.

Natsu tightly hugged the limp blonde into his chest and whipped around just as the cross tipped to fall atop the screeching preacher, his agonized screams chasing the pinkette out the chapel's doors as he ran to save the girl in his arms.

In the midst of his panic, the salmon haired boy briefly recalled his conversation with Precht in Wendy's hospital room. He'd threatened the preacher, vowing that if he even laid a finger on Lucy, he'd burn him into a pile of ashes.

It seemed that although not by his hand, Precht had received the end he'd deserved.

* * *

Natsu stared at the back of the ambulance Lucy had been stolen away into until it disappeared around a bend in the forest road back that led back down to the valley, his focus dropping down to his blood covered hands once it had whirled out of his sight with the blonde and her mother inside.

For once, that damn detective had arrived right on time, and with a whole slew of ambulances, too. The pinkette knew that the ambulances had been meant for the people in the bunker, but as he'd stumbled from the church in hysterics with the limp blonde cradled in his arms, he'd insisted that she be taken first, and upon seeing the state of the girl, the paramedics had whisked her away immediately.

He had confidence that she would survive, because she was too strong to give up the fight just as it had been won.

Mest and his subordinates were running wild around the church behind him, cuffing members of Zentopia, both those that were awake and unconscious, and dragging them to be detained in their police vehicles to be carted away and questioned at a later time. Watching Mira shove a bloodied Kain and Zancrow into the back of her own cruiser was particularly satisfying for Natsu, though watching an unconscious Jude and a solemn, but accepting Ultear be taken away had him feeling a bit more grim. Regardless, he knew that they would each receive the punishment they deserved, so there was no need for him to concern himself with them any longer.

He spun around to face the front of the church, finding his three best friends bickering behind him on the last stair of the steps that lead down from the gothic building. They all looked a little worse for wear, but hell, was the sight of all three them standing together for the first time in a while a damn good sight to see.

For the last three years up until a little under a month ago, their friendship had been on the verge of collapse, and he and Gray in particular were at each other's throats every chance they got. He never would've thought that taking down a cult would be what brought them together again, but Natsu had a feeling that after all they'd been through, they weren't going to let themselves be torn apart again.

* * *

Natsu gripped the edges of the podium so hard that his knuckles turned white as he stared at the crowd of reporters in front of him. Jet had organized the press conference for him after releasing the content of the voice recorder, and now, two weeks after the whole incident with taking down Zentopia, all that was left for Natsu to do was bare his own testimony, a heavy sigh rushing through his lips before he tentatively began, "My brother, Governor Zeref Dragneel, colluded with a religious cult, and accepted and gave bribes both during his election and his term. In order to conceal his corrupt deeds, three years ago," his voice faded out for a moment as he glanced to where Wendy sat in a wheelchair on the side of the stand, her hands clenched tightly together in her lap and her head bowed, "he pushed our sister from the third floor balcony of our home in an attempt to kill her. I'm taking this chance to expose him for his deeds, and leave his fate to be determined by the law."

* * *

Zeref clenched his jaw as he stared out the window of his office building to see the crowd of reporters and protesters alike in the parking lot, his voice on edge as he hissed, "Things will quiet down soon enough. We just need to find the right lawyers, and then-"

"This is the end, Governor," Dimaria cut him off, her features cold and emotionless as her boss spun to face her. She let out a heavy, disappointed sigh, "I wanted to see how high you could climb, but I ended up watching you fall hard instead."

He stared at her with wide, aghast eyes, his focus not leaving her even as the doors to his office were shoved open when Mest and two of his subordinates entered the room.

"Governor Dragneel, you and your secretary need to come with us."

Zeref's gaze finally dropped the floor, his chest tight with disbelief.

Even the last person he'd always thought he could count on, his dear little brother, had betrayed him, so there was nothing he could do but watch as the empire he'd built for himself crumbled one stone at a time.

* * *

Lucy swallowed heavily, the action pulling at the bandages around her throat, as she watched her mother kneel down to place a bouquet of white flowers in front of the tombstone before them, Layla's voice somewhat sorrowful, but still light and sincere as she promised, "Sting…I'll never become weak like that again. Lucy and I will live our lives to the fullest from here on out, so you can finally rest in peace."

As her mother pulled back, Lucy kneeled to fill the space before her twin's grave, setting another small bouquet beside the other. For the three years she and her mother had been held captive, his grave had sat empty, void of any tribute and without anyone to remember the boy who was buried there. The blonde refused to let such a thing happen again, and she'd resolved to visit his resting place every week, never forgetting the boy had been her other half.

"Sting…Mom and I want to live happily now, so you don't have worry about us," she smiled softly, recalling how the memory of her twin had given the drive to stay strong during her trial as she gently breathed, "Thank you."

Before they left the cemetery, Lucy distributed the other bouquets she had bundled in her arms, placing one each in front of the stones engraved with the names Romeo Conbolt and Levy McGarden.

* * *

Gray cleared his throat, partially out of nervousness and partially to alert the patient on the bed, as he entered the hospital room, his hands clasped in front of himself as he took a seat on the stool beside the nightstand.

His father wouldn't glance his way out of shame and embarrassment, so Gray took the initiative of starting the conversation, clearing his throat again before tentatively asking, "Have…have you eaten lunch yet?"

Silver minutely shook his head against his pillow before lowly mumbling out, "What about you?"

"Not yet," the raven haired boy admitted softly.

It was his father's turn to clear his throat, his eyes finally shyly swiveling around to make eye contact with his son, "Do…do you want to see if they'll let us order some Chinese food? That's still your favorite, right?"

Gray stared at Silver in blank silence for a moment.

His dad…actually remembered?

He huffed out a halfhearted chuckle, a small smile splaying across his lips as he replied, "Sure."

* * *

Natsu let out a heavy sigh as he stared at the large house that had been the Dragneel home for nearly ten years, his mind flooding with the memories, both good and bad, that'd he'd made in the place.

It'd been over a year since Zeref had gone to prison, and now that Wendy was fully recovered and ready to be rid of the place where she'd been injured, he'd figured that it was time they sold it to another family, its inside now emptied of all its contents.

His friends had helped him move the final boxes into the back of the moving van he'd be driving to his new place, and they stood beside him, doing their own look over the place where they'd spent a small portion of their time together in their youth.

Since there were no parents around, Loke took over the role of being melodramatic, theatrically swiping under his eyes and mock crying as he jokingly blabbed, "When he was a toddler, I changed his diapers and fed him from a bottle. Now he's moving out all on his own!" He sniffled dramatically before choking out, "He grew up so fast…"

Natsu rolled his eyes, "This isn't the first time I've moved out, ya know. I did live in Crocus for three years."

It seemed that Loke was choosing to ignore his words, slinging an arm around the pinkette's shoulder, "You've always lived just three minutes away from me! What am I gonna do without you here?"

Gray whapped the orange haired boy on the back of his head, "And now he's only going to live seven minutes away from you, idiot."

While Wendy would be moving in with their adoptive mother's sister until she completed high school and headed off to college, Natsu had gone in on an apartment with a 'roommate' on the East side of town, only a two minute drive between him and his sister and not much farther to where his friends lived.

"Stop being so dramatic," Elfman joined in on the tirade, "It's not manly."

Loke tsked, a humph slipping through his lips as he crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled, "You're one to talk. You cried like a baby when Lisanna got engaged last week."

Elfman's eyes welled with tears just at the mention of the event, clenching his hands in front of his chest as he proclaimed, "That's 'cause marriage is manly!"

"Whatever," the orange haired boy rolled his eyes.

Natsu could only chuckle as the two began to bicker over the masculinity of professing love, an argument he'd heard countless times, but it never really got old.

In addition to Lisanna's engagement to one of Laxus' old buddies from high school, a lot of other things had changed, too. But not many of the changes were that unexpected, and they had all felt rather natural in the progression of things. Mest had been promoted for his triumphant bust of a cult, and he was now back in Crocus, practically running the show in terms of law enforcement. Laxus had been released from his jail time, and now he was working part-time at the Fairy Tail bar, where Natsu knew he had his sights set on a certain brunette waitress. Jellal and Erza had finally held their wedding about eight months ago, and now they were expecting a baby boy. Gajeel had found a steady job at the Strauss' mechanic shop, and Mira had received her own promotion to Sergeant at the station. Juvia was still delivering pizzas, but she spent every second of free time she had with her new boyfriend, and teasing Gray about their relationship had become one of Natsu's favorite pastimes.

Of course, the raven haired boy had plenty of material to tease his rival with, too, the salmon haired boy's own relationship a common topic of jabs and jokes between the four.

As if in sync with Natsu's thoughts, a cab turned onto the road and came to a stop in front of the now empty home, the back door opening within the matter of only a few moments.

A pair of red sneakers was the first thing to exit the door, followed by a pair of legs clad in blue jeans. A head of blonde hair ducked through the opening, pale hands adjusting the gray sweatshirt on their torso as they stood on the curb, closing the door behind them and coming towards the quartet with a soft and pleasant, "Hey."

The salmon haired boy held out a hand for her to hold, greeting her with a gentle peck on the lips, "Hey, Luce."

"Yo," Gray shot the simple greeting in her direction with a small grin while Loke gave her a little wave and Elfman just smiled warmly at the girl who'd sort of become the fifth member of their little group.

"You guys ready to get going?" Lucy smiled softly as she looked between the four boys, lacing her fingers through Natsu's.

The pinkette hummed gently in affirmation, squeezing her hand back just as warmly.

Loke grinned smugly as he looked between the pair, "Man, look at you two, all ready to get cozy in your new apartment and have sex."

Lucy's cheeks burned just as brightly as Natsu's, the pinkette's gaze shooting about the neighborhood as he sarcastically hissed, "Could you say that any louder?"

"AND HAVE S-"

His jab was cut short by a tanned fist to the jaw, and, as per usual, now that they were started, Natsu and Loke didn't stop, pummeling each other on the front of lawn of the salmon haired boy's old home.

Gray quirked a brow as he watched his friends brawl, only half-joking as he leaned towards Lucy and asked, "You sure you wanna move in with this guy? He's obviously a total nutcase."

She only jabbed an elbow into his side, her own gaze never leaving the fight, before smiling warmly as she softly hummed, "Yeah. I'm sure. He's perfect."

A heavy sigh slipped through the raven haired boy's lips, "Well. Whatever you say." He glanced her way, his voice a lot less teasing as he remarked, "If you ever need anything," he paused briefly before correcting himself, "If _either_ of you ever need anything, you can always call me."

The blonde gave him a warm smile, which he returned as she professed, "I know. Thanks, Gray."

It wasn't long before Gray and Elfman decided to intervene, tugging the still bickering boys apart from each other before the Strauss boy drug Loke to the moving truck and Gray shoved Natsu towards where they'd parked their bikes.

Lucy was already waiting for the pinkette by his motorcycle, the golden helmet he'd bought just for her already secured on her head. Natsu seemingly forgot all about the brawl, a bright grin on his face as he settled his own helmet over his head and swung a leg over his bike, gripping the handles as the blonde got on behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle. Her first time on the bike, she'd been terrified, but over the course of the past year she'd more than gotten used to riding behind the salmon haired boy, and just like him, she was now a sucker for the thrill of speed.

Gray revved his own bike next to them, casting the salmon haired boy a sly look as he challenged, "You up for a race to your new place?"

Natsu only grinned confidentially, pushing the visor of his helmet down over his eyes as he chuckled smugly, "Definitely."

Knowing that there was no stopping them, Lucy could only wrap her arms tighter around the salmon haired boy as they sped off with Gray on his own bike at their flank, the two bikes leaving the moving van with Loke and Elfman in its cabin in the dust.

The air was filled hoots of victory and halfhearted insults that were shouted over the noise of their bikes as they spend down the street, the boys constantly gaining ground on each other and swapping who was in the lead.

Lucy rested her head against Natsu's back, contently listening to the symphony of sounds as the air carried them by her ears in a rush of wind. Of the countless people who had come to her aid during her captivity at Zentopia, she felt most grateful to these two boys, the pair having risked everything and given up much in their fight to free her.

When people heard their story and found out about what she'd endured, they always asked how she was able to hold out while being held against her will in a place like that.

The answer was actually rather plain and simple: It was because she'd never given up hope.

The hope that she'd be able to get out one day.

The hope that there was a _real_ omnipotent being up there, and that they were watching over her.

The hope that someone would hear her desperate cry and answer her plea.

She'd survived because she kept such hopes alive in her heart and constantly thought of the loved ones she'd lost and those who were fighting for her on the outside. Her strength had come from those whom she loved, and together, they'd accomplished their goal, just like they'd promised they would.

She'd always have the scars, both mental and physical, but instead of being painful reminders, she liked to think of them as testaments of her endurance and will that she could always carry with her as she lived life free of her captors.

Like she'd promised herself and Natsu, Zentopia had been taken down and she was living on the outside again, free to do whatever she wanted with her life for the first time in years. And while it'd already been a year since she'd been freed, she felt like her new life was only just beginning, and she was more than content to spend its entirety with the boy who had heard her plea, the boy who had saved her.

* * *

 **AN**

 **GAAAAHHHH It's over! Writing this final chapter was a lot of fun, so I hope you enjoyed reading it! I felt like ending things this way would give us that final dose of tension, uneasiness, and action, but with an overall happy and resolving conclusion.**

 **I'm sad that this story is over, and it felt like it went by so fast, but of course I'm excited to move on to other stories that I hope you'll stick around for! :)**

 **I'd like to say a big, final THANK YOU to all my readers, and give a special THANK YOU to all those who have favorited, followed, and reviewed, especially those of you who have been sticking with this fic for quite some time. I know it definitely wasn't the most pleasant and heartwarming thing to read, but I loved testing out a darker side of my writing, and I'm glad to see that there are quite a few of you who appreciate the outcome! My stories always gain much more attention than I'd ever imagined they would, so really, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!**

 **Signing off for the last time**

 **~McSquidster**


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